Medieval Epic (CL0146)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCL-3-MEDEPIC

In this course two Latin epics from the medieval period, both of German provenance, are studied:

the 'Waltharius', with its pervasive exploitation of Virgilian and other classical poetry to recast Germanic heroic legend;
the 'Ruodlieb', with its unique generic blend, its early chivalric features, and its idiosyncratic style.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : A Pass in Latin 2

? Costs : None

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Latin, (School of History and Classics, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course you should:-
- have explored some of the distinctive ways in which the epic form was used in the Latin Middle Ages;
- have read in Latin the whole of the 'Waltharius' and a substantial portion of the (fragmentary) 'Ruodlieb', with due attention to linguistic and stylistic detail and to literary technique;
- be aware of the context within which each of the epics was composed;
- be able to discuss critically interpretative issues which arise from the texts and from a range of scholarship.