English Medieval Literature

The Old English Period: discussion of representative authors and literary works (heroic epic and alliterative tradition, the Epic of Beowulf , Old English prose and culture, the importance of King Alfred in the development of the English language and national identity, Old English religious and secular poetry.
The Middle English Period: analysis of stylistic and rhetorical elements in the selected texts: the Arthurian romance, troubadour lyric, fabliau, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Geoffrey Chaucer, Thomas Malory and Margery of Kempe.
Establishing intertextual literary links between the selected medieval and contemporary works and discussion of the attempts to revive the medieval spirit in the works of contemporary authors and new medievalism.