READING AND REIMAGINING MEDIEVAL ROMANCE - 2026/7

Module Overview

This module introduces students to the concept of medieval romance from the twelfth century to now. The medieval texts will be read either in Middle English or in translation (languages covered will be French, Middle English, Arabic, 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. As well as the medieval texts, students will study examples of contemporary historical material and modern interpretations of medieval romance to help them contextualise both the romances and their current significance in popular culture. The module will build on students¿ understanding of medieval texts and historical contexts developed from modules in the first and second years. Additionally, the module will enable students to further engage their interests in literary history, the development of romance as a genre, and examining literature through key critical and theoretical lenses such as gender theory, queer theory, critical race theory, and ecocriticism. 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. They will also have been afforded the opportunity to develop their critical thinking, research, writing, and communication skills in ways that will benefit them on their chosen career path.

Module provider

Literature & 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): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Introduction to Medieval and Postmedieval Romance
Chaucer Retellings
Supernatural Lais
Queer Retellings I
Queer Medieval Romance I
Queer Retellings II
Arabic Epic
Disney¿s Medievalism
Arthurian Romance
Arthurian Romance Reimagined
Revision and Assessment

Indicative authors include Marie de France, Geoffrey Chaucer, Heldris of Cornwall, Sir Thomas Malory, Patience Agbabi, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Finn Longman.

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 in addition to the development of employability skills, digital capabilities, global and cultural capabilities, and resourcefulness and resilience.

Seminar discussion with ongoing tutor feedback is designed mainly to assess transferable skills including independent learning, time management, and the ability to structure and communicate complex arguments in written and 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 or creative portfolio and commentary assesses subject knowledge in the genre of medieval romance and cognitive/analytical skills in critical thinking and the close reading of literary texts. It also assesses professional skills in expressing ideas and critical analysis in written communication.

It also assesses transferable skills in working independently, demonstrating the ability to conduct research for written work in an organised and critical fashion, and communicating complex, rigorous arguments. Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of: A Critical Essay (3000 words) OR a creative portfolio (2400 words or equivalent) and critical commentary (600 words) Formative assessment and feedback Seminar discussion with ongoing tutor feedback and the option to submit an essay plan or plan for the creative portfolio.

Formative 'feed forward' is provided through seminar discussion and tutor feedback in lecture-seminars. Students receive both written feedback and verbal feedback in lecture-seminars that informs the final essay or creative portfolio and critical commentary.

Module aims

• deepens and expands students' understanding of a range of medieval and contemporary writing
• will allow students to think across global and cultural thresholds, developing their understanding of the relationships between English and other languages in the premodern era and beyond
• will enable students to think critically about differences and similarities between the distant past and the present day
• will introduce a range of critical and theoretical scholarship which provide illuminating ways to engage with the study of both medieval literature and adaptation and deepen students¿ research and critical thinking skills
• advances students' ability to read and understand Middle English and encourages them to engage with the texts in their original languages
• develops and strengthens students' skills in close reading and analysis of literary texts
• will improve students' oral and written communication
• will enhance students' ability to undertake independent research as well as to work effectively as part of a group during the lecture-seminars

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to ensure that students achieve the module learning outcomes and develop competencies in employability, digital capabilities, global and cultural intelligence, and resourcefulness and resilience. It will enable students to continue on their journey as independent researchers and will support them in strengthening transferable, practical, and professional skills which will prove essential across numerous career pathways. The delivery of the module through two-hour weekly lecture-seminars places an emphasis on student-led discussions which prioritises group work and collective discussions. Interactive tasks will also be utilised to develop cognitive/analytical skills in analysing and reinterpreting medieval literature and the relevant social, environmental, global, political, and cultural contexts, specifically those relating to the genre of romance, and to further develop skills in communication and in working individually and as part of a group.

The content of the module is research-led and enables students to develop a sophisticated understanding of critical and theoretical approaches to the study and interpretation of the medieval period which will enhance their analytical research skills and provide in-depth knowledge relating to the development of romance as a literary genre. The module will introduce students to a range of diverse global perspectives through the study of global medieval literature and rewritings and encourage an appreciation for the diversity of cultural experience and the differences and similarities in texts produced in different countries.

The lecture-seminars also provide students with instruction on planning and implementing timetables for work and on presenting ideas coherently under time constraints. The learning and teaching methods include: a combination of lecture-seminar content and materials, guided learning, independent learning, as well as one-on-one essay drop-in sessions at the end of the module This will enable students to strengthen their research planning skills, time management skills, and analytical skills. It will also enable them to fortify the argument of their final essay and focus their ideas. The virtual learning environment, SurreyLearn, will be fully utilised to capture content, guide learning, introduce additional materials, and help student to navigate their independent study.

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: ELI3081

Other information

The School of Literature and Languages is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

Employability: Over the course of the module, students' will develop their critical thinking and analytical skills in ways which will benefit their future career goals. They will be required to engage intellectually with a range of complex theories and ideas relating to medieval literature and contemporary reworkings as well as the resonances of such material in the modern world. By debating their ideas and responding to their chosen essay question, they will further develop their ability to construct an effective argument. Additionally, they will be supported with both verbal and written feedback to discover the most efficient ways to communicate their ideas in their writing and their seminar discussions.

Digital Capabilities: The university's virtual learning platform, SurreyLearn, requires students to engage with digital learning material and resources. In addition to attending lecture-seminars, students on this module are actively encouraged to engage with captured content, along with other multi-media resources, such as online archives, scholarly websites, documentaries, adaptations, and podcasts. Learning how to locate, access, analyse, and use online resources and digital tools will allow students to develop their digital literacy as well as their research skills. This facet will be particularly important during the research task that students will undertake in Week One of the module where they will be required in groups to research one of the texts and find a suitable secondary source that we will analyse as part of our discussion of the text later in the module. It will enable students to navigate online databases and assess their ability to identify rigorous scholarship and research databases in ways that will benefit the work for their final assessment but also lead to collaborative and engaging discussions surrounding academic rigour and using digital resources in research.

Global and Cultural Capabilities: A key concern of the module is to expand students¿ understanding of the global Middle Ages by introducing students to premodern texts from different cultures and places and exploring diverse retellings and reworkings of medieval romance. The variety of texts and films studied on the module will enable students to consider the specific political, social, and cultural ways that we engage with literature and how this is affected by our individual experiences and background. It will also allow students to trace certain tropes across time and the globe in ways that will illuminate their global and cultural awareness. Through an examination of global and cultural historical contexts, students will learn to communicate their ideas thoughtfully with their peers, taking into consideration the diverse student community.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: The lecture-seminars are scaffolded by pre-class requirements in the form of a to-do-list including the completion of set reading and pre-seminar questions to help guide individual learning. By engaging with these tasks and questions, students will further develop their individual resourcefulness. Peer and tutor feedback in seminar discussions will develop students' confidence in communicating analytical and critical ideas. Group work will also provide opportunities for students to develop their thinking both independently and in conjunction with others.

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 2026/7 academic year.