Romance
Answer on one of the following questions. Students must submit an essay of between 2,500 and 3,000 words. Submission deadlines can be found in the freshman student handbook.
Q1. Discuss the conflict between secular and religious authority in any two texts from the course.
Q2. Write on heroic action in Sir Orfeo.
Q3. Discuss hyperbole and parody in The Tale of Gamelyn.
Q4. Is the knight’s tale suited to the knight? In your answer please consider the characterisation of the knight in the General Prologue.
Q5. Discuss Christian themes, or lack thereof, in The Knight’s Tale.
Q6. Write on social hierarchy in The Franklin’s Tale. Please consider both the characterisation of the Franklin and his narrative.
Q7. Discuss feasting in any text from the course.
Q8. In The Wife of Bath’s Tale and Prologue discuss how female stereotypes are scrutinised. Is the antifeminist tradition being critiqued?
Q9. Discuss the endings in any two texts from the course and analyse how the protagonists are rewarded (justly or unjustly in your opinion) for their actions.
Q10. In any two texts from this course discuss the contrast between courtly love and religious devotion.
Rory Loughnane
loughnrv@tcd.ie
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Questions of the Week! Gamelyn
Discuss Gamelyn's motivations for his actions. How does he set about retrieving what is rightfully his? And does the conclusion of the story compromise Gamelyn's actions throughout?
Discuss Gamelyn's (mis)treatment of the clergy? How does this affect our interpretation of any religious allegory that may be found in the lay?
Consider the legal issues at the heart of this romance. Is there any political message to be taken?
Is Gamelyn a likeable (anti)hero?
Discuss Gamelyn's (mis)treatment of the clergy? How does this affect our interpretation of any religious allegory that may be found in the lay?
Consider the legal issues at the heart of this romance. Is there any political message to be taken?
Is Gamelyn a likeable (anti)hero?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Questions of the week!
How does our secondary knowledge of the Orpheus myth influence our reading of Sir Orfeo?
The prologue of Sir Orfeo is divided into three parts : the first tells what kind of story Sir Orfeo is; the second, that Orfeo was an exceptionally skilful harper; the third, that he was a man of high birth and authority and that his wife was a paragon of all the virtues. Is there a similar tri-partite division in the main body of the story, and, if so, how does this structure influence our interpretation?
How is the harp the central image of this Romance tale?
Can we see an underlying medieval Christian framework in Sir Orfeo?
The prologue of Sir Orfeo is divided into three parts : the first tells what kind of story Sir Orfeo is; the second, that Orfeo was an exceptionally skilful harper; the third, that he was a man of high birth and authority and that his wife was a paragon of all the virtues. Is there a similar tri-partite division in the main body of the story, and, if so, how does this structure influence our interpretation?
How is the harp the central image of this Romance tale?
Can we see an underlying medieval Christian framework in Sir Orfeo?
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Class Schedule
Michaelmas Term
Week One: no tutorial
Week Two: Introduction to Romance
Week Three: Sir Orfeo
Week Four: Tale of Gamelyn
Week Five: Reading Week (no tutorial)
Week Six: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale
Week Seven: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Franklin's Tale
Week Eight: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath
Week Nine: no tutorial
Hilary Term
Week One: no tutorial
Week Two: Chretien de Troyes, The Knight of the Cart
Week Three: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Week Four: Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur
Week Five: Reading Week (no tutorial)
Week Six: Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur
Week Seven: Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book I
Week Eight: Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book VI
Week Nine: no tutorial
Trinity Term
Week One: William Shakespeare, Pericles
Week Two: William Shakespeare, As You Like It
Week Three: Recapitulation
Week One: no tutorial
Week Two: Introduction to Romance
Week Three: Sir Orfeo
Week Four: Tale of Gamelyn
Week Five: Reading Week (no tutorial)
Week Six: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Knight's Tale
Week Seven: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Franklin's Tale
Week Eight: Geoffrey Chaucer, The Wife of Bath
Week Nine: no tutorial
Hilary Term
Week One: no tutorial
Week Two: Chretien de Troyes, The Knight of the Cart
Week Three: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Week Four: Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur
Week Five: Reading Week (no tutorial)
Week Six: Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur
Week Seven: Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book I
Week Eight: Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Book VI
Week Nine: no tutorial
Trinity Term
Week One: William Shakespeare, Pericles
Week Two: William Shakespeare, As You Like It
Week Three: Recapitulation
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