(New Historicisms and the History of the Subject)

The course will focus on political themes with emphasis on forms of resistance. We might begin the course with a study of Chaucer's General Prologue, Langland's Prologue (with other excerpts from Piers), excerpts from Gower's work, and possibly some passages from Wyclif to show how each used the same theoretical construct--the three-estates model--but to different ideological purposes. Then we might move to challenges to the traditional structures of medieval society: the 1381 Peasants' Revolt and its literature (a hot topic); the Lollard challenge to the hierarchical church; the challenge of lay piety to clerical hegemony (there are a variety of texts possible here, including the drama, translations of biblical narratives, translations of clerical manuals); and women's transformations of religious and social structures (again a lot of material possible).

Although we will use the Middle English texts in class, Modern English Translations of them will be made available as far as possible.

Students taking the course under L613 will write several brief response papers and a longer analytical paper towards the end of the course. There will be a midterm exam and a final. These tasks are in accord with the department’s recommendations for 600-level courses.

Students taking the course under L713 will write several brief response papers and a research paper of about 25 pages. They will not take the exams. Each student will also give an oral presentation on one of the works we read and another presentation on the research project. It would be helpful if seminar students would contact me with ideas for their research before the semester begins. If that is not possible, we will discuss the possibilities within the first week of classes.