| Unit name | Period Unit 1 - 1150-1550 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ENGL20117 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Putter |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
none |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
none |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is an introduction to the literature of medieval and early Tudor England, and will present both the range of texts produced between 1150 and 1550 and their distinctive qualities. There will be a strong focus on genre, social and cultural context, and key concepts such as manuscript production, literacy, textual transmission, medieval Christianity, and court culture. We will study texts in the original Middle English, supported by translations where necessary, as well as some texts written in the other languages of medieval Britain in modern English translation. These may include some of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, medieval drama, romance, court poetry, religious writing, and lyrics. You will learn to read and translate Middle English, and to analyse medieval poetry and prose, gaining an understanding of medieval genre conventions and poetic forms.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Period units facilitate your ongoing and detailed appreciation of the chronology and historical development of literature in English. You will gain knowledge of and insight into literary forms, from poetry and prose to critical essays and drama. You will develop your practice of academic skills in close analysis and argument, encounter key critical concepts, and enhance your confidence as a researcher. Period units will enable you to understand the importance of historical contexts from the medieval period to the present day, while developing your sense of literary studies as a discipline.
Overview of content
This unit will survey a range of texts from medieval and early Tudor Britain, including authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, and genres such as romance, comic tales, lyric and religious literature and drama. It will place emphasis on close reading and analysis as well as introducing contexts from the medieval world that will help you better understand the literature. You will develop the ability to read, understand and translate Middle English and encounter a range of literary modes and ideas.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
On completion of the unit students will have had the opportunity to engage in depth with the literature of a specific chronological period; gained an increased understanding of medieval literature in its wider context and its influence on later writing; and, refined their skills in close reading, textual analysis and interpretation of literary genre in ways that not only connect to the content of this unit, but will be a meaningful foundation for progress into the following academic year of the programme.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
This unit is normally taught through a series of 3-hour seminars. Seminars use a range of teaching methods including lectures, group discussion, research and writing activities, and peer dialogue. Students are expected to attend all timetabled teaching, engage with the reading, and participate fully with the weekly tasks and topics. Learning will be further supported through the opportunity for individual consultation. Students may also have the opportunity to submit an optional formative assessment, and to receive brief feedback on the submission, to support the development of skills and knowledge and build towards their summative assessment. Other formative work, including translation and close-reading exercises, will be set and assessed informally during seminars.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
A portfolio of short written exercises (100%) [ILOs 1-4], comprising:
Commentary 650 words (20%) [ILOs 1,2,4].
Modern English prose translation of an extract from one of the Middle English set texts (20%) [ILO 3].
Research synopsis and commentary 650 words (20%) [1-4].
Essay 1,600 words (40%) [1-4].
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the format or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are confirmed by the School/Centre shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ENGL20117).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
