The sea was a highway as much as a barrier in the early medieval world—and early English travelers, missionaries, and immigrants used it to connect with seemingly-distant shores. In this course we will challenge definitions of where the earliest English literature begins and ends, starting with the legacy of the first men to teach writing in England: Archbishop Theodore of Tarsus, a Byzantine Greek, and the North African Abbot Hadrian, who together founded the School at Canterbury and shaped generations of English scribes and authors. We will go on to read Old English fictional travelogues like The Wonders of the East and Alexander’s Letter to Aristotle, which describe parts of the world both real and imagined; the letters of Boniface and the itinerary of Willibald, English missionaries in 8th century Germany; exile elegies including The Seafarer and The Wanderer; and the Old English Apollonius of Tyre, one of the earliest medieval romances. All readings will be in translation; no knowledge of Old English is required (but interest is welcome!). Assignments will include two shorter close-reading essays and a final research project. Required texts: Old and Middle English c.890-c.1450: An Anthology, edited by Elaine Treharne (ISBN: 978-1-405-18120-4). Additional selected readings will be provided in class and online.

Intended Audience:

Online-only students are welcome!

Class Format:

Exams: N/A

Lectures: Synchronous and Online

Class Discussions: Synchronous and Online