Undergraduate Course: Medieval Dream Literature (ENLI10256)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The dream vision is a central genre of the late medieval period. Characterized by a set of conventions that place as much weight on the framing of the poet's material as on the material itself, it frees him from the obligation to take up a firm (moral) position towards his material. Instead, the dream vision opens up debate as to the precise significance of its subject matter, encouraging both medieval and modern readers to active engagement with the text.
The set texts will include Chaucer's early poetry, alongside Pearl, extracts from Piers Plowman, and various other poems within or related to the traditions of dream vision. It will raise questions concerning the relation between self-fashioning and literary convention, the relation between God and man, the relation between truth and fiction, and the relation between the poet and society. It will also show how the use of a genre over a period of time becomes a means of enabling new modes of thought as well as reflecting existing ones.
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| Course description |
Not entered
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | A MINIMUM of three college/university level literature courses at grade B or above (should include no more than one introductory level literature course). Related courses such as civilisation or creative writing are not considered for admissions to this course. Applicants should also note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. In making admissions decisions preference will be given to students who achieve above the minimum requirement with the typical visiting student admitted to this course having three to four literature classes at grade A.
** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Section directly for admission to this course **
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Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
Students successfully completing the course will develop:
* a familiarity with a range of of English medieval dream-vision literature
* an ability to assess the formal traditons of dream-vision poetry of the period and the variety of uses to which they are put
* an understanding of how dream form of the period engages with questions of literary authority, truth and fiction, and the exploration of religious, political and social issues
* an awareness of the critical discussion, medieval and modern, relating to the genre
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Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sarah Carpenter
Tel: (0131 6)50 3608
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms June Haigh
Tel: (0131 6)50 3620
Email: |
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