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Module Catalogue

EN3C1-30 Arthurian Literature & its Legacy

Department
English and Comparative Literary Studies
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Sarah Wood
Credit value
30
Module duration
18 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

EN2C1-30 Arthurian Literature & its Legacy

Module web page

Module aims

The module will explore the evolution of Arthurian myth from the mid twelfth up until the mid fifteenth centuries. Several major works from Middle English literature will be studied in their original language, along with French, German and Latin works in modern translation. In study-ing these texts particular attention will be paid to the fol-lowing topics: the nature of different national responses to the myth of British imperialism, the representation of women, the literary construction of knighthood, and the way in which the medieval church attempted to regulate and redirect the chivalric ethos. The last weeks of the module will examine the characteristics of the Arthurian revival in Victorian and twentieth-century Britain.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Autumn term
The Early Arthur of History and the Chronicles

Spring Term
The Late Medieval Arthur: theories of downfall

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a coherent and detailed understanding, informed where appro-priate by recent scholarship, of the evo-lution of the Arthurian myth from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, some of its principal genres, and the reasons behind the Arthurian revival in nine-teenth and twentieth century Britain and America.
  • Deploy accurately in relation to particu-lar texts their knowledge of the rela-tionships between different genres and of the historical and cultural contexts in which the texts studied were produced.
  • Develop an independent and creative response to primary texts studied on the course.
  • Describe and comment on particular aspects of recent research and scholar-ship
  • Apply their knowledge and understand-ing in order to carry out an extended piece of writing

Subject specific skills

To understand the evolution of Arthurian myth from the mid twelfth to the mid fifteenth centuries; to understand some of the genres and voices of medieval Arthurian narratives to further knowledge of Middle English language through a study of several major works of Middle English literature contemporary with or later than those studied in EN121; to examine the reasons behind the Arthurian revival in nineteenth and twentieth-century Britain and America, together with the ways in which the myth has been rearticulated to encompass Victorian, modern and post-modern concerns.

Transferable skills

No transferable skills defined for this module.

Study time

Type Required
Seminars 18 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (9%)
Private study 273 hours (91%)
Total 300 hours

Private study description

Reading & research.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A3
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Assessment component
Assessed essay 1 40% Yes (extension)
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Assessed essay 2 60% Yes (extension)
Reassessment component is the same
Feedback on assessment

Tabula & face to face.

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 3 of UCXA-QQ37 Undergraduate Classics and English
  • Year 4 of UCXA-QQ38 Undergraduate Classics and English (with Intercalated Year)
  • UENA-QQ00 Undergraduate English & Cultural Studies
    • Year 3 of QQ00 English & Cultural Studies
    • Year 3 of QQ00 English & Cultural Studies
  • Year 3 of UENA-Q300 Undergraduate English Literature
  • Year 3 of UENA-QP36 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing
  • Year 4 of UENA-QP37 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing with Intercalated Year
  • Year 4 of UENA-Q301 Undergraduate English Literature with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UCXA-QQ39 Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation
  • Year 4 of UCXA-QQ3A Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 4 of UFRA-QR3A Undergraduate English and French
  • Year 4 of ULNA-QR37 Undergraduate English and German
  • Year 4 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies
  • Year 3 of UENA-VQ32 Undergraduate English and History
  • UENA-VQ33 Undergraduate English and History (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
    • Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
  • Year 3 of UENA-VQ34 Undergraduate English and History (with a term in Venice)
  • Year 4 of ULNA-QR38 Undergraduate English and Italian
  • Year 3 of UTHA-QW34 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies
  • Year 4 of UENA-QW35 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UFIA-QW25 Undergraduate Film and Literature
  • Year 4 of UFIA-QW26 Undergraduate Film and Literature (with Study Abroad)
  • Year 3 of ULAA-M136 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (3 Year)
  • Year 3 of ULAA-M111 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (3 Year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • UVCA-LA99 Undergraduate Liberal Arts
    • Year 3 of LA99 Liberal Arts
    • Year 3 of LA92 Liberal Arts with Classics
    • Year 3 of LA73 Liberal Arts with Design Studies
    • Year 3 of LA83 Liberal Arts with Economics
    • Year 3 of LA82 Liberal Arts with Education
    • Year 3 of LA95 Liberal Arts with English
    • Year 3 of LA81 Liberal Arts with Film and Television Studies
    • Year 3 of LA80 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development
    • Year 3 of LA93 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development
    • Year 3 of LA97 Liberal Arts with History
    • Year 3 of LA71 Liberal Arts with Law
    • Year 3 of LA91 Liberal Arts with Life Sciences
    • Year 3 of LA75 Liberal Arts with Modern Lanaguages and Cultures
    • Year 3 of LA96 Liberal Arts with Philosophy
    • Year 3 of LA94 Liberal Arts with Theatre and Performance Studies
  • UVCA-LA98 Undergraduate Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA85 Liberal Arts with Classics with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA72 Liberal Arts with Design Studies with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA79 Liberal Arts with Economics with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA78 Liberal Arts with Education with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA88 Liberal Arts with English with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA77 Liberal Arts with Film and Television Studies with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA76 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA86 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA90 Liberal Arts with History with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA98 Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA84 Liberal Arts with Life Sciences with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA74 Liberal Arts with Modern Lanaguages and Cultures with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA89 Liberal Arts with Philosophy with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of LA87 Liberal Arts with Theatre and Performance Studies with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature
  • Year 4 of UPHA-VQ73 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
  • Year 4 of UPHA-VQ53 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics (with Work Placement)
  • Available to all Finalist students on non-English Literature degree programmes – subject to availability and must have A level English Literature or equivalent qualification.