Admission requirements
Admission to the MA Literary Studies and research master Arts, Literature and Media (as well as other relevant MA programmes).
A basic knowledge of Old English language and literature is recommended but not required.
Description
The Old English epic Beowulf is the oldest and longest poem of its kind in the context of the Germanic tradition. The poem not only gives us an exciting story concerning the hero Beowulf’s fights against a cannibalistic monster, Grendel, and an unnamed fire-spitting dragon, but it also tells us extensively of the ways of life and expectations as they prevailed in the aristocratic warrior circles of Anglo-Saxon England shortly after the conversion. Ever since its first edition in the 19th century, the Beowulf poem has been studied, read, translated, recreated, adapted and appropriated for a variety of purposes. These adaptations range from faithful translations to radical reimaginations, in the form of historical novels, modern poems, graphic novels, video games and movie adaptations.
In this course, we shall close-read a number of episodes from the original Beowulf and place these episodes within their cultural-historical context. Next, we will also analyse modern adaptations of the poem, including the modern English translations by Seamus Heaney and Maria Dahvana Headley, graphic novels and the various Beowulf movies.
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will have:
improved their ability to read and interpret important works of Old English literature.
gained a thorough understanding of Beowulf and its modern-day afterlives.
further developed their ability to analyse works of literature, to understand these works as belonging to their historical and culturalmoments as well as specific textual traditions, and to make interesting and meaningful claims about these works in both written or oral form.
further developed their independent research skills.
learned how to communicate academic information to a broader audience.
produced a final research paper that represents the very best writing they were able to produce at that moment.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
2-hour seminars
Assessment method
Assessment
- Academic blog post of c. 1500 words after Block I
- Research paper of 2000-2500 words after Block II
- Participation and preparation of weekly readings
- Oral presentation
Weighing
Element 1) 30%
Element 2) 40%
Element 3) 10%
Element 4) 20%
Resit
If the average grade is a 5,49 or lower, one or two of the research papers will need to be retaken. There is no resit for the presentation, participation and preparation (elements 3 and 4).
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
The following books should be bought:
George Jack, ed., Beowulf: A Student Edition (Oxford: OUP, 1994; repr. 2009)
Seamus Heaney, trans., Beowulf: A New Translation (available in various formats)
Maria Dahvana Headley, trans., Beowulf: A New Translation (available in various formats)
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
No remarks.