Medieval European Literature

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

In this course, we will we read many of the finest works of the European literary tradition, including The Song of Roland, El Cid, troubadour lyrics and their Arabic models, the Arthurian romances of Chrétien de Troyes, the Lais of Marie de France, and selections from Juan Ruiz’s Book of Good Love, Dante’s Divine Comedy, Boccaccio’s Decameron, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Our focus will be on close readings of the literary texts themselves, but we will also bring cultural contexts to bear in our efforts to better understand and enjoy them. All readings will be in modern English translation.