G405 16321 STUDIES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Robert Fulk

4:00p-5:15p TR (5 students) 3 cr.

TOPIC: “Introduction to Old English”

The topic of the course will be the Old English language, i.e. the English language of the period 600-1100, the language of Beowulf, The Seafarer, King Alfred the Great, and the Venerable Bede. We will spend some time studying various cultural aspects of the world of the Anglo-Saxons (as English speakers of that period are now called), such as runic inscriptions, the making of manuscripts, survivals of pagan and folkloristic belief, and the history of the period, especially the devastating Viking invasions. But for the most part class time will be devoted to examining the structure of the language and learning to decipher Old English texts. Course requirements will include two or three examinations, but no papers. There will be frequent shorter assignments, as well, including daily exercises and some quizzes. The textbooks will be John C. Pope’s Eight Old English Poems and an Old English grammar. Meets with G601.