King Arthur
across
Cultures & through Ages
Home
2100 Syllabus
Exercises
Notes
Dr. Jamison
SPRING 2012
ENGLISH 2100
Office: Gamble Hall 202C
Office Phone: 344-3097
Office Hours: 12:30-1:30 M-Th, and by appointment
Class Time: T/Th 9:30
web address: http://www.llp.armstrong.edu/5800/index.html
email: Carol.Jamison@armstrong.edu
Primary Readings:
Romances of Arthur by James Wilhelm
King Arthur and his Knights by Malory (Mentor)
Recommended Readings (helpful, but not mandatory):
The Arthurian Handbook second edition by
Norris J. Lacy et. al. (Garland Press)
Chivalry by Maurice Keen (Yale University Press)
The Art of Courtly Love by Andreas Capallanus (Norton)
The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Romance edited
by Roberta Krueger
Modern Arthurian Literature by Alan Lupack
Materials and Format: All out-of-class papers must be typed,
double-spaced, and in accordance with MLA guidelines.
Overview:
From the twelfth-century canonization of the medieval romance
to modern novels and films with Arthurian themes, the legends
of King Arthur and his knights have mesmerized audiences.
From what sources do these legends originate? How do King
Arthur and knights change to accommodate various cultural
and historical influences? Did King Arthur exist? Beyond entertainment,
what social commentary is siphoned through Arthurian legend?
These are just a few of the questions we will consider this
semester as we explore the legend of King Arthur. We will
study an assortment of modern and medieval texts from which
we will trace the evolution of Arthurian legend. (All Middle
English and Old French texts will be read in translation or
with normalized spelling.)
Objectives:
Students will explore the concepts described above in class
discussions, oral reports, and critical essays. This course
is intended to hone writing skills as well as to expose the
student to literature from several cultures. A research project
is required.
Attendance and Participation:
Daily participation is essential. After students have missed
five classes, one letter grade may be dropped for each additional
absence. Likewise, students who are consistently late will
be counted as absent.Cell phone use is prohibited in this
class. Cell phones must be silenced and put away at all times.
Other Class Policies:
Respectful behavior is, of course, expected and required.
Books are mandatory. Students must bring to class particular
texts as they are being discussed. I will deduct points from
the final grades of students who violate class policies.
Web Component
This course is supplemented by a web site. Your use of this
web site is mandatory, and you will be expected to visit the
site frequently. The News page will update you about new information,
contain announcements, and guide you to specific pages. The
Notes page will supplement but never replace class discussions.
All notes are intended as study guides or reviews but may,
occasionally, extend the scope of our class discussions. You
will need to visit the Exercise page frequently. These exercises
will be graded. My own email address is easily accessed throughout
the site. Make use of the resources on our site. You may find
some useful sources on the Links page, which is shared by
all of my students. You will also want to look at the References
for my own bibliography of sources used in creating this site.
Finally, you may want to check out pages for my other classes.
You will find information there that you can cross-reference.
Completion of Work:
All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class
on the due date. I will deduct a full letter grade for each
day that a paper is late. One exception is the final paper,
which must be on time. Failure to attempt an assigned essay
will result in an "F" in the course. Students must
successfully complete all phases of the research paper, including
drafts and in-class practice, in order to receive a passing
grade. The passing research paper must adhere to my explicit
instructions and accord to MLA guidelines.
Assignments:
1. Essay One. The first essay will be on a relevant topic of your choice on
either any of the literature that we have read through "The Prose Merlin."
Topics may be drawn from study-guide questions. 25%
2. Essay Two. The second essay will be on a relevant topic of your choice on "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and/or Malory. Topics may be drawn from study-guide questions. You may also include a discussion of earlier works. 25%
3. Essay Three: Popular Culture essay. This paper will be on the transformation of Arthurian literature beyond the Middle Ages. The paper must include how the topic has been transformed from medieval to modern. 25%
**Research requirement: On any one paper of your choice, you should consult at least two sources and include an MLA Works Cited page. Clearly indicate which paper you would like to use for research purposes.
4. Quizzes. Expect five quizzes throughout the semester on readings. 20% total
5. Participation: Attendance, diligence in reading and doing worksheets, class participation, bringing books to class, etc. 5%
Tentative Daily Schedule
January 10, 12
T: Introductions/ Historical Background
Th: film
January 17, 19
T:The Romance of Arthur: "Arthur in Geoffrey of Monmouth"
59
Th
: The Romance of Arthur"Arthur in Geoffrey of Monmouth" cont.
January 24, 26
T: Chretien de Troyes' Arthurian Romances: "Parcival" (class
handout)
Th: The Rules of Love by Capellanus (class handout)
January 30, February 1
T: The Romance of Arthur: "Lancelot" /QUIZ 1
Th: "The Romance of Arthur: "Lancelot"
February 7, 9
T: :The Romance of Arthur: "Lancelot"
Th: QUIZ 2/ intro to "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"
February 14, 16
T: The Romance of Arthur: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" (SGGK)
Th: The Romance of Arthur: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"
(SGGK)
February 21, 23
T: The Romance of Arthur: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"
(SGGK) / ESSAY I DUE
Th: The Romance of Arthur: selections from "The Prose Merlin"
305
February 28, March 1
T: The Romance of Arthur: selections from "The Prose Merlin"
305/ QUIZ 3
Th: Malory ("Merlin" and "Balin" )
March 6, 8
T: Malory ("Pelleas and Ettard" and "The Knight of the
Cart")
Th: Malory ("Lancelot and Elaine") )
March 13, 15
SPRING BREAK
March 20, 22
T: Malory ("The Holy Grail")
Th:
"The Poisoned Apple" and "The Fair Maid of Astolat")
March 27, 29
T: Malory ("The Death of King Arthur")
Th: Malory ("The Death of King Arthur")
April 3,5
T: Excalibur
Th: Excalibur
April 10, 12
T: Quiz 4/ ESSAY 2 DUE/ Modern Arthurian Literature: Kings, Queens, and Arthur (class lecture)
Th: CLASS CANCELLED
April 17, 19
T: Harry Potter and King Arthur/Arthurian
music and art
Th: Monty Python's Arthur
April 24, 26
T: Monty Python's Arthur
Th: QUIZ 5 (this quiz cannot be dropped)/ Essay 3 DUE
Dr. Carol Jamison
Gamble Hall 202C
Armstrong Atlantic State University
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419
Phone: 912.344.3097