EH 655 Syllabus

English 655: Studies in Medieval Literature

Spring 2018

CRN: 10516

Dr. Joseph Taylor

Email: wjt0003@uah.edu

Office: Morton Hall 247A

Office Hours: M 2-3:30pm, T 2-3:30pm and by appointment

Course Time and Location: W 5:50-8:40pm, Morton Hall 208

Credit hours: 3.0

Course Website:

https://sites.google.com/a/uah.edu/joseph-taylor/home/eh-655

Course Description:

We will examine otherness in the context of law, nation, religion, and race. This course explores natural and positive law and theories of sovereignty and looks further into political theological theories related to the outlaw, the neighbor, and monstrous others confronting the medieval west. We will read texts from the 10th to the 16th centuries, engaging moments such as the Norman Conquest of England, the Crusades (1-3), and the Black Plague. Texts include the epic Beowulf, the Chanson de Roland, chivalric romances such as Richard Coer de Lyon, holy books such as the Bible and Qur’an, and the medieval Robin Hood ballads. Theoretical readings include Agamben, Freud, Lacan, and Zizek, among others. Middle English texts will be read in original. All other texts will be read in modern English.

Course Texts (can be purchased at the Campus Bookstore in Charger Union):

• Beowulf. Translated by Alan Sullivan and Timothy Murphy, Longman, 2004.
• Richard Coer de Lyon. Edited by Peter Larkin, Medieval Institute Publications, 2015.
• Robin Hood and Other Outlaw Tales. Edited by Thomas Hahn and Thomas Ohlgren, Medieval Institute Publications, 2000.
• Siege of Jerusalem. Edited by Michael Livingston, Medieval Institute Publications, 2005.
• Song of Roland. Edited by Glyn Burgess. Penguin, 1990.
• Stanzaic Guy of Warwick. Edited by Alison Wiggins, Medieval Institute Publications, 2005.
• Giorgio Agamben, Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Translated by Daniel Heller-Roazen, Stanford, 1998.
• Giorgio Agamben, State of Exception. Translated by Kevin Attell, Chicago, 2005.
• Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, Standard Edition. Edited by James Strachey, Norton, 1989.
• Kenneth Reinhard, Eric Santner, Slavoj Zizek. The Neighbor: Three Inquiries in Political Theology. Chicago, 2013.
• Other texts will be made available online or through CANVAS.

Graded Assignments:

• 10% Reading Response Paper, 700-800 words (not including notes)
• 25% Close-Reading Paper, 1500-1700 words (not including notes)
• 5% Argument Abstract, 300-400 words
• 10% Annotated Bibliography, 300 word annotations, 10 peer-reviewed sources (not including editions of literary works)
• 50% Seminar Essay, 3500-4000 words

Grading System: A (93-100), A- (90-92), B+ (87-89, B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), F (0-59). Pluses and minuses are included in grades for this course to clarify a student’s achievement. These augmented letter grades become part of the student’s permanent record and appear on transcripts, but augmentation of a letter grade does not affect its value for the purposes of the GPA computation.

Attendance Policy: THIS IS A SEMINAR, that is a small collective of interested persons ready and willing to parse out difficult texts! Your attendance and active participation (not merely your occupying a chair in the room) are crucial to your success in this course. Excessive absences (2 for the semester) will jeopardize your passing grade for the course, but, more important, will impair your ability to develop the skills needed to succeed in this class and future ones. Missing one class is the equivalent of missing one week of a regular two-day or three-day course. My specific expectations are as follows: 1) arrive on time WITH YOUR BOOKS IN HAND or electronically before you, 2) read actively and thoughtfully the assigned materials, 3) take extensive notes on your readings, and 4) generate questions or topics of discussion for each and every class meeting 5) BE OPEN-MINDED TO NEW IDEAS AND INTERPRETATIONS IN OUR DISCUSSIONS.

Policy Concerning Classroom Conduct: All students in the class must treat others with

civility and respect and conduct themselves during class sessions in a way that does not unreasonably interfere with the opportunity of other students to learn. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in points being deducted from a student’s final numerical average, up to a maximum of 15 points. Again, BE OPEN-MINDED TO NEW IDEAS AND INTERPRETATIONS IN OUR DISCUSSIONS!

Statement on Student Responsibility for Withdrawing from Courses: Through the tenth week of the fall or spring semester, a student may withdraw from any course by executing a withdrawal on the Registrar’s website, meeting with their advisor, or submitting a Registration/Schedule Adjustment form to Charger Central. Specific deadlines for withdrawal can be found on the University’s semester calendars. After the tenth week, a student may withdraw from a course only under extenuating circumstances and with the approval of the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. Avoidance of an undesirable grade does not justify withdrawal. The request for withdrawal approval in this situation must be submitted with a written explanation of the extenuating circumstances and any appropriate documentation to the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and it is the duty of the dean to verify that the circumstances justify withdrawal from a course. In addition, students participating in certain programs must secure approval or give adequate notification to the appropriate officers of these programs. It is the joint duty of these programs and the Office of Student Records to insure that students participating in these programs are aware of any such requirements. Class non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal nor does notification to the instructor. Any student failing to follow the established procedure for withdrawal will continue to be enrolled in the class and may receive a failing grade in that course. If the withdrawal process is completed during the first two weeks of the semester, the withdrawing student’s name does not appear on the final rolls of the class from which the student withdrew, and that course does not appear on the student’s permanent record. If the withdrawal process is completed after the first two weeks, then the withdrawing student’s name will be on the final roll of the class from which the student withdrew, and that course will be recorded on the student’s permanent record with a final grade of W.

Statement on Academic Honesty: Your written assignments and examinations must be your own work. Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. To ensure that you are aware of what is considered academic misconduct, you should review carefully the definition and examples provided in Article III, Code of Student Conduct, Student Handbook, p. 93. If you have any questions in this regard, please contact me right away.

Statement on Use of Prior Work: You may not submit in fulfillment of requirements in this course any work submitted, presented, or used by you in any other course.

Statement on Accommodation for Disabilities: The University of Alabama in Huntsville will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for academic accommodations. Students should identify themselves to the Disability Support Services Office (call 256-824-1997 or go to Wilson Hall 317) and their instructor as soon as possible to coordinate accommodations. Their website can be found here: http://www.uah.edu/health-and-wellness/disability-support/welcome

Tutoring: The university’s Student Success Center offers tutoring and is located on the first floor of Salmon Library. It is recommended that you call (824-24782) or e-mail (tutoring@uah.edu) to schedule an appointment. Their website can be found here: http://ssc.uah.edu/ssc/tutoring/