ENGL 373 - Transformations of Medieval Literature

3 credits
The medieval period continues to be misidentified both as a primitive ‘dark age’ and as an idealized utopian golden age of racial and religious homogeny. Popular culture creates an impression of the Middle Ages as violent and lawless, racist and misogynistic. This course seeks to dispel those misconceptions through integrative analysis of literary and historical works, in conjunction with modern media, popular culture, and current political issues. By focusing on the original historical context of a selection of medieval texts set against the interpretation presented to modern audiences in novels, comics, short stories and film, this course takes an in-depth look at the way in which the medieval world has been reconfigured for modern readers and viewers-new “medievalisms”-and how those interpretations are shaped by civic and global issues like race, gender, sexuality, and social justice.

Prerequisite(s): Completion of FHCI Pillar
Corequisite(s): None

*Fulfills Civitae Core PHCI
WI