Arthurian Tradition
Professor Joan E. McRae
Bagby 311, x 6200, jmcrae@hsc.edu

Schedule

Aug. 29  Wednesday    Introduction to Arthurian Studies, Library tour
Aug. 31  Friday            Lacy, "Origins" pp. 1-30

Sept. 3  Monday            Wilhelm, III: Culhwch and Olwen
Sept. 5  Wednesday       Lacy, "Origins," pp 30-52; CD-rom "The Legend of Arthur"
Sept. 7  Friday               Wilhelm, IV:  "Arthur in Geoffrey of Monmouth,"

Sept. 10  Monday         Wilhelm, V: "Wace: Roman de Brut" and Wilhelm, "Layamon: Brut"
Sept. 12  Wednesday    Lacy,  "Early Arthurian Literature," pp. 57-88
Sept. 14  Friday            Wilhelm, VII: "Chretien de Troyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart," pp. 121-146
                                     Paper 1 due: The historicity of the Legend

Sept. 17  Monday         Wilhelm, VII: "Chretien de Troyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart," pp. 146-172
Sept.19 Wednesday      Wilhelm,VII:  "Chretien de Troyes: Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart," pp. 173-199
Sept. 21 Friday             Wilhelm, VIII:  "Selected Lyrics," CD-rom; Lacy, "Early Arthurian Literature," pp. 88-120

Sept. 24  Monday         Wilhelm, X: "Beroul: The Romance of Tristan," pp. 225-250
Sept. 26  Wedneday      Wilhelm, X: "Beroul: The Romance of Tristan," pp. 250-276
Sept. 28  Friday             Wilhelm, XI: "Marie de France: The Lay of Chievrefueil"
                                            and XII: "Thomas of Britain: Tristan"

Oct  1  Monday             Wilhelm, XIV: "The Prose Merlin and The Suite du Merlin," pp. 305-335
Oct. 3  Wednesday        Wilhelm, XIV: "The Prose Merlin and The Suite du Merlin," pp. 335-363
                                       Presentation of the Grail myth
Oct  5  Friday                 Lacy, "Early Arthurian Literature," pp.120-133;
                                      Wilhelm, XVI: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," pp. 399-414
                                       Paper 2 due

Oct.  8  Monday            Wilhelm, XVI: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," pp.114-440
Oct. 10  Wednesday      Wilhelm, XVI: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," pp. 440-466
Oct. 12  Friday              Wilhelm, XVII: "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell" pp. 467-488
                                       Presentation of Courtly Love

Oct. 15  Monday            Wilhelm, XVIII: "The Alliterative Morte Arthure," pp. 489-510
Oct. 17  Wednesday       Wilhelm, XVIII: "The Alliterative Morte Arthure," pp. 511-528
Oct. 19  Friday              Take home exam. Turn in before leaving campus.

Oct. 22  Monday            Fall Break
Oct. 24  Wednesday       Wilhelm, XIX: "Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte Darthur" pp. 529-554
Oct. 26  Friday               Wilhelm, XIX: "Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte Darthur" pp. 555-576
                                        Presentation of Chivalric values

Oct. 29  Monday            Lacy, "Modern Arthurian Literature," pp. 138-164
Oct. 31  Wednesday       Tennyson, Idylls of the King: “Enid,” “Guinevere”
Nov. 2   Friday               Tennyson, Idylls of the King: “The Coming of Arthur” “The Holy Grail”

Nov. 5  Monday              Tennyson, Idylls of the King: “The Passing of Arthur”
Nov. 7  Wednesday         Lacy, "Arthur in the Arts," pp. 217-229;
                                        Presentation: The Pre-Raphaelite painters
Nov. 9  Friday                Paper 3 due

Nov. 12  Monday           Twain, A Connecticut Yankee
Nov. 14  Wednesday      Twain, A Connecticut Yankee
Nov. 16  Friday              Beasley, Twain, A Connecticut Yankee

Nov.  19  Monday          Twain, A Connecticut Yankee
Nov.  21  Wednesday     Thanksgiving
Nov.  23  Friday             Thanksgiving

Nov.  26  Monday          Twain, A Connecticut Yankee
Nov.  28  Wednesday     Modern appropriations of the Legend: Hitler and Kennedy
Nov.  30  Friday            Camelot 3000

Dec.  3  Monday           Camelot 3000
Dec.  5  Wednesday      Camelot 3000
Dec.  7  Friday              Camelot 3000

Dec.  10  Monday          Final Project due

Grading
            1 exam                    20%
            4 papers                  40%
            class participation    20%
            oral presentation      20%

Texts
            The Romance of Arthur: An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation
            by James J. Wilhelm, Garland Publishing.

            The Arthurian Handbook
            by Norris J. Lacy. Garland Publishing

            A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
            by Mark Twain. Mass Market Paperback

            Camelot 3000
            by Mike W. Barr. DC Comics

This course is, of course, about the legend of King Arthur, his knights, and his values as propogated through quasi-historical chronicles, literature, the arts and cultural history. While the Arthurian world is the focus of our study, we will also work on developing a number of skills which will be essential for your college career: the traditional arts of reading, writing and speaking in an engaging and persuasive style. To achieve these goals you will do a good deal of reading, both of primary and secondary works. You will write four papers, three of which will require a re-write, and you will research a chosen topic and present your findings to your class colleagues. If your work is not on task, you will do it again until you have achieved a satisfactory level.

Research topics

Courtly Love Ideals
The Holy Grail
Chivalry and King Arthur
Painting the Legend: the 19th century Pre-Raphaelites
Hitler's appropriation of the Arthurian myth
Kennedy's Camelot