This term we will examine works in early Middle English, as well as the better known and more frequently studied major authors — Chaucer, Gower, Piers, the Pearl poet. Readings will include selections from prose and poetic histories, mystical writers, contemporary social and political documents (laws, recipes, medical texts, chronicles, charters). We will examine a wide range of early Middle English texts as we develop an appreciation for the roles written English played in medieval England and the cultural and political consequences of the ability to read and write.

Course Requirements:

The course requirements include regular in-class participation, frequent quizzes, two hour exams, and a short paper.