ENGL 6115

Medieval Allegorical Poetry

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2020-2021.

This seminar treats allegorical poetry spanning the Middle Ages but aimed at later medieval England, interlarded with modern and medieval theory. The modes of medieval allegory, entailing religious, historical, moral, economic, and political interpretation, merge with ideas of signification and figural language in general, but also with the practice of distinctive medieval genres such as debate, visions, homily, and morality drama. Selections, in Latin and French followed by medieval English works, include Augustine, Macrobius, Boethius, Bernardus Silvestris, Alan of Lille, the Owl and the Nightingale, Roman de la rose, Nicholas Bozon, the Ovide moralisé, and Piers Plowman, plus debates, lyrics, drama, and political allegories. Translations of Latin and French and some of the Middle English works will be available. Informal writings, two essays, take-home final.

When Offered Spring.

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