Studying at York
Modern Places, Medieval Pasts - ENG00028C
- Department: English and Related Literature
- Module co-ordinator: Dr. Fran Brooks
- Credit value: 10 credits
- Credit level: C
- Academic year of delivery: 2021-22
- See module specification for other years: 2022-23
Module summary
How do modern places bear witness to the traces of their medieval pasts? This module will give you the opportunity to think across medieval and modern texts and places. We will
explore the ways in which the medieval past continues to exert a powerful hold over the places and spaces we inhabit, as well as over the imaginations of writers from the nineteenth to the twenty-first century.
From the saga-sites of Iceland, to rural Carmarthen in Wales, via the British fenlands, we will think about a variety of diverse landscapes and places as palimpsests for history
and culture. How did medieval writers think about place in all of its richness, encompassing everything from environmental to social conditions? And how have postmedieval writers used these texts and stories to re-imagine and re-invent contemporary landscapes, and even to recover lost histories? Some key questions to consider and discuss will
be the role that nostalgia plays, along with the dynamic between competing impulses such as regionalism and nationalism. Can these adaptations of medieval stories speak to the future of these particular places, as well as to their pasts?
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Summer Term 2021-22 |
Module aims
The purpose of the module is to think about the afterlives of medieval culture and literature, specifically as they are tied to place and identity. The module will introduce you to medieval texts and stories (to be read in translation) from across a range of languages and regions, and will open up a number of critical approaches to this material by reading it through the lens of 19th-21st century literature.
Module learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you should be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of and engagement with how medieval literature imagines place, and how postmedieval writers have drawn on and adapted medieval texts and stories in their own work.
- Engage with comparative and interdisciplinary approaches, relevant critical vocabulary and contexts, including critical approaches to medieval literature and Medievalism
- Successfully manage a collaborative project, making use of digital tools where appropriate.
- Deliver a presentation, demonstrating appropriate oral, written, performance, and/or digital skills.
Indicative assessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation/seminar/exam Team Presentation |
N/A | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
The team assessment is intended to emphasise teamwork, creativity, communication, time management and presentation skills. Being able to deliver a project on time and as part of a team will be essential skills beyond your degree. Following the taught element of the module, in weeks 1-4, you will have a further three weeks to develop a 10-15 minute team presentation to be delivered in Week 8, drawing on research and ideas developed during the term. Each presentation is marked by two members of staff, who will provide feedback within two weeks.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | Length | % of module mark |
|---|---|---|
| Essay/coursework 1500 Word Reassessment Essay |
N/A | 100 |
Module feedback
You will receive feedback on all assessed work within the University deadline, and will often receive it more quickly. The purpose of feedback is to inform your future work; it is provided in a pedagogical spirit, and the Department also offers you help in learning from your feedback. If you would like to discuss your feedback, please consult your tutor or your supervisor, during their Open Office Hours.
Indicative reading
Key texts may include:
Njal’s Saga, Y Gododdin, medieval saints lives, Lynette Roberts’s Gods with Stainless Ears (1951), the Old English Guthlac poems, Daisy Johnson’s Fen (2016)