Syllabus

PDF version of syllabus available for download here.

English 445
Islam and Medieval Western Narrative
Professor Teresa Kennedy
tkennedy@umw.edu
301 Combs Hall
Office hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00-10:00

The purpose of this course is to explore the complex and often paradoxical relationship between Islamic sources in literature, art, and philosophy with the Western tradition of the High Middle Ages (12th-14th centuries). This course will be reading intensive, and will draw on multiple sources both online and in print.

Course requirements are as follows:

Group Work, including class blog: 25%
Seminar paper (at least 12 pages, fully documented): 50%
Presentations: 25% (including one 20 minute paper presentation)

Because of time constraints during the summer session, your final research draft will not be due until August 10.

The following texts are required and are available in the bookstore:

Menocal, Maria Rosa. Arabic Role in Medieval Literary History
Byatt, A.S., ed. Arabian Nights
Said, Edward. Orientalism
Boccaccio, Giovanni. Decameron
Irwin, Robert. Companion to the Arabian Nights
Dronke, Peter. Medieval Lyric Poetry

e-texts: (available on line)

Dante. Vita Nuova

Inferno

Islamic Philosophy. Routledge Encylopedia

Class schedule:

Week of June 25:

Backgrounds to Islam in the West

  • Monday: Explanation of group work on blog; group assignments, course outline
    • Reading: Irwin, “Oceans of Stories;” (Chapter 3); Menocal, “ Chapters 1 and 2 (1-70). Comment on reading on class blog, noting themes and categories in common.
  • Tuesday: Theoretical Frameworks: Mysticism & Platonism
    • Reading: Dronke, “History of 12-century Philosophy”: 113-150; Colish 175-264; (posted on class blog—remember to comment).
  • Wednesday: Imagining the Moslem in the European Middle Ages
    • Reading: Frassetto, ed. Chapter 2 (Cruz) “Popular Attitudes towards Islam” 55-82 (On blog). Byatt, Arabian Nights: 3-154; Edward Said, Orientalism (especially first three chapters).
  • Thursday: Troubadors and Courtly Love
    • Reading: Menocal, 71-114; Dronke, Medieval Lyrics (Selections to be announced); Also read http://www.arabworldbooks.com/Literature/troubadour_poetry.htm.

Week Two: Exoticism and Psychosexual anxiety

  • Monday: The Matter of Troy
    • Reading: Roman d’Eneas 199-257 (On blog); Burger & Kruger, eds. “The Sodomitic Moor” 99-122; “Chaste Subjects” 123-142 (On blog).
  • Tuesday: The Matter of Britain
    • Reading: Lancelot, Chretien de Troyes. (http://omacl.org/Lancelot/)
  • Wednesday: The Matter of Greece???? Decameron
    • Reading: Irwin, Chapters 7 and 8.; Decameron Days 1-3. Arabian Nights 254-360.
  • Thursday: Decameron Day 4, Day 6, Day 7

Week Three: Anxieties of Crusades

  • Monday: Eleanor of Aquitaine and the 2nd Crusade
    • Reading: Research this topic independently
  • Tuesday: Chivalry?
    • Reading: Malory: http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/malorybib.htm Book 8 (Tristan)
  • Wednesday: Arthurian legends and the Arabian Nights
    • Reading: TBD

Week Four: The Italian Tradition

  • Monday: Dante and the Arabic Tradition
    • Reading, Menocal Chapter 5; Dante Vita Nuova. Inferno.
  • Tuesday: Dante and the Arabic lyric
    • Reading: TBD (Dronke)
  • Wednesday: Dante and religious narrative
    • Reading: Cantor (online)
  • Thursday: Encylopedic Texts
    • Reading: Decameron, Book X

Week Five: Conclusions, Seminar paper presentations