- Department: History
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2024-25
The idea of England is a powerful one which excites discussion and debate to this day. This module explores the rise of a unified ‘England’ out of the fragmented kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon world and the development of what may be called an English identity in the period up to the Norman Conquest. In the first semester, we will begin with an exploration of the Anglo-Saxon world before the ninth century, before proceeding to study the well-documented reign of King Alfred (d. 899) and his successors. We will unpick the social, political and religious developments that laid the groundwork for a unified England. Was this unification the product of a shared culture? Did a common religion underpin this? Did the Viking raids solidify English identity in the face of the ‘other’?
In the second semester, we will explore the consolidation of the kingdom of England to its largest physical extent, as well as the solidification of English identity up to the mid-11th century. Were Alfred’s successors able to hold their people together? What internal and external challenges did the fledgling kingdom face? Did the rise of England’s Viking kings undermine the idea of England? This module will use a wide range of written historical and literary sources (Bede’s Ecclesiastical History, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, writings of Alfred and Asser, sermons, vernacular poetry, charters, law codes, treaties, etc), alongside archaeological and numismatic evidence to develop an understanding of identity in Anglo-Saxon England.
Students taking this module must also take the second part in Semester 2.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2024-25 |
The aims of this module are:
Students who complete this module successfully will:
Students will attend a 1-hour briefing in week 1 and a 3-hour seminar in weeks 2-4, 6-8 and 10-11 of semester 1. Weeks 5 & 9 are Reading and Writing Weeks (RAW). Students prepare for and participate in eight three-hour seminars in all.
Seminar topics are subject to variation, but are likely to include the following:
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
None
For formative work, students will produce a text commentary.
The summative assessment will consist of two parts, to be submitted together:
a) Two text commentaries of 500-750 words; and
b) One 1,500-word essay.
The commentaries comprise 50% and the essay 50% of the overall mark for this module. Summative assessments will be due in the assessment period.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 100 |
Following their formative task, students will typically receive written feedback that will include comments and a mark within 10 working days of submission.
Work will be returned to students in their seminars and may be supplemented by the tutor giving some oral feedback to the whole group. All students are encouraged, if they wish, to discuss the feedback on their formative work during their tutor’s student hours. For more information, see the Statement on Feedback.
For summative assessment tasks, students will receive their provisional mark and written feedback within 25 working days of the submission deadline. The tutor will then be available during student hours for follow-up guidance if required. For more information, see the Statement of Assessment.
For semester time reading, please refer to the module VLE site. Before the course starts, we encourage you to look at the following items of preliminary reading: