Admission requirements
Not applicable.
Description
This course focuses on the first centuries of the English language and culture, the period of Old English and Anglo-Saxon England (c.450–c.1100), from which a surprisingly rich literature has come down to us. You will be given a thorough introduction to the Old English language (phonology, morphology, syntax), and you will develop skills in translating short texts in both prose and poetry. In addition, we shall study a variegated selection from Anglo-Saxon literature, partly in Old English and partly in translation, such as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a saint’s life by Ælfric, Riddles, and Beowulf. Placing these texts in their cultural historical context also allows us to deal with such topics as the Vikings, the Sutton Hoo ship burial, manuscripts and daily life.
As Old English is the ancestor of Modern English, understanding Old English phonology, morphology and syntax will help you make sense of some of the peculiarities of Modern English, such as the ‘irregular’ plurals of foot (feet) and goose (geese). Hence, this course ties in with some of the Linguistics courses offered by the Bachelor programme English Language and Culture, including Linguistics 1 (phonetics), Linguistics 2 (syntax) and Linguistics 4 (phonology). In addition, this course has some common ground with various Literature courses. Not only because this course will teach you to look critically and precisely at literary texts, but also because modern authors, including W.H. Auden and J.R.R. Tolkien, or J.K. Rowling for that matter, were inspired and influenced by the Old English language and literature.
Course objectives
At the end of the course, students will have:
basic knowledge of the highlights of Old English literature (prose and poetry) and of the relevant cultural history of Anglo-Saxon England;
the ability to apply a method of interpretation (close reading) to Old English texts in order to answer comprehensive questions about particular themes, motifs and literary forms.
the ability to analyse an Old English text in order to solve questions about the linguistic nature of this text, by applying and recognizing grammatical rules and sound changes;
developed skills to present information in written form, showing insights into specific formal and technical features of Old English poetry and applying these in a creative way;
proficiency in translating Old English at a basic level
developed a sense of academic growth by successfully meeting the challenge of gaining an understanding of texts composed under linguistic and cultural conditions that differ substantially from contemporary ones.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture (one hour per week)
Seminar (two hours per week)
Assessment method
Assessment
A 3-hour written exam, with a translation, short open questions and essay questions.
Two grammatical quizzes during the semester and one short written assignment
Attendance is compulsory. Missing more than two tutorials means that students will be excluded from the tutorials. Unauthorized absence also applies to being unprepared, not participating and/or not bringing the relevant course materials to class.
Weighing
Written Exam: 70%
Grammatical quizzes: 30%
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
N.B. The grades for the two grammatical quizzes and the written assignment will only count towards your final mark if the average score of these three elements can be used to raise your final grade. Should this not be the case, the final exam alone will determine your final grade, for 100%.
Resit
When the final grade is below 5.5, the exam will have to be retaken during the resit period. There is no resit for the grammatical quizzes and the written assignment.
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
Baker, Peter (2012). Introduction to Old English. 3rd edn. Wiley-Blackwell.
Richard North, Joe Allard and Patricia Gillies, eds. (2011). Longman Anthology of Old English, Old Icelandic, and Anglo-Norman Literatures. Routledge.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Please note: it's not possible to enroll in MyStudyMap yourself for the tutorial group of this course. If you are a higher year student of the BA English or if you are a minor student Middeleeuwen en Vroegmoderne Tijd, please contact the education coordinator to be enrolled in a tutorial group.
Registration À la carte education, Contract teaching and Exchange
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of À la carte education (without taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
Information for those interested in taking this course in context of Contract teaching (with taking examinations), eg. about costs, registration and conditions.
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
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
Students are expected to prepare for the first class. Information about reading and assignments for week 1 is available on Brightspace (enrollment is required).