Epic and History in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

This seminar will focus on the question of preservation, transformation, and distortion of historical memory in epic poetry from various parts of the ancient (Mesopotamian, Hittite, Greek, and Roman) and medieval (German, French, Hispanic, and Slavic) worlds. Additional issues to be discussed include orality and literacy, cultural memory, and the social function of poetry in changing conditions. Texts in translation.