THE AGE OF CHIVALRY: MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN ROMANCE - 2019/0

Module Overview

This module introduces students to the huge variety of medieval and early modern romance from the twelfth to the early-seventeenth centuries. The texts will be read either in Middle English or in translation (languages covered will be Latin, French, Middle English, Arabic, Spanish, and Welsh). The module explores the genre with a particular interest in gender and sexuality, instances of transgression, multi-culturalism, and multilingualism. It also investigates the traditional connection of romances with female readership. The module is subdivided into three interconnected areas: stories of knightly chivalry, tales of the supernatural, and reactions to romance. As well as the primary texts, students will study examples of contemporary historical material to help them contextualise both the romances and these three thematic areas. After taking this module, students will have a detailed understanding of the fluid and expansive nature of romance and its changing historical and social contexts.

Module provider

School of Literature and Languages

Module Leader

MORGAN Amy (Lit & Langs)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 20

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None. This module has a capped number and may not be available to ERASMUS and other international exchange students. Please check with the departmental exchange coordinator.

Module content

Indicative texts may include:

Week 1: Introduction to Medieval and Early Modern Romance

Week 2: Chronicling Medieval Chivalry

Week 3: Arthurian Romance I

Week 4: Arthurian Romance II

Week 5: Arabic Romance

Week 6: Supernatural Welsh Narratives

Week 7: Supernatural Breton Lais

Week 8: Chivalry and Chaucer

Week 9: Reactions to Romance I

Week 10: Reactions to Romance II

Week 11: Conclusion

 

A definitive seminar schedule will be available on SurreyLearn.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the module learning outcomes.

 

Seminar discussion with ongoing tutor feedback is designed mainly to assess transferable skills in working as part of a group and practical/professional skills in expressing ideas and critical analysis in oral communication. It also assesses subject knowledge in the focus on genre and multilingualism and cognitive/analytical skills in critical thinking and in the close reading of literary texts.

 

The essay assesses subject knowledge in the genre of medieval and early modern romance and cognitive/analytical skills in critical thinking and the close reading of literary texts. It also assesses practical/professional skills in expressing ideas and critical analysis in written communication and transferable skills in working independently.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Essay (3000 words)

 

Formative assessment and feedback

Seminar discussion with ongoing tutor feedback

 

Students receive both written feedback and verbal feedback in seminars that informs the final summative assessment, i.e. the essay.

Module aims

• This module aims to deepen and expand students’ understanding of: A range of medieval and early modern poetry and drama;
• The role of romance as a genre in English literary history;
• The relationship of English to other languages in the pre-modern era;
• Key historical and social contexts for understanding medieval literature in Britain.
• This module aims to develop and strengthen students’ skills in: Reading and translating Middle English;
• Close reading, analysis, and critical thinking;
• Oral and written communication;
• Independent work and group work in workshops;
• Time management through assignment submission and revision planning.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to deliver subject knowledge, to develop cognitive/ analytical skills, and to develop in-depth transferable, practical, and professional skills. The weekly seminars involve student-led discussions that develop cognitive/analytical skills in analysing literature and its contexts, specifically those relating to romance, and develop skills in communication and in working individually and as part of a group. The seminars also provide students with instruction on planning and implementing timetables for work and on presenting ideas coherently under time constraints.

This relates to the programme learning and teaching strategy, in which at FHEQ Level 6 students undertake more student-led involvement and more sophisticated development of critical analytical and rhetorical skills. As these are research-led modules, there is also more emphasis on developing students’ knowledge of critical and theoretical discourses, such as theories of gender and reception.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• 2-hour seminar per week x 11 weeks

• Revision drop in sessions in week 12

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ELI3051

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.