In Reimagining Medieval Worlds, we will explore how medieval worlds have been imagined and reimagined — since at least the tenth century — through history, fiction, film, and even comics. We will examine literary works such as the epic poem Beowulf, the novel The Hobbit, and the Japanese manga Vinland Saga. We will also read literary criticism that grapples with the use and flagrant misuse of medieval symbolism, including seemingly benign understandings of the medieval past that further the systemic marginalization and devaluation of vulnerable populations, even today. Course requirements are assigned readings, class discussion, a presentation, and writing assignments, which include weekly journal entries, three short essays, an annotated bibliography, and an in-class midterm. 

Learning Objectives:

• Interpret texts from a variety of genres and historical periods, considering their semantic, syntactic, thematic, iterative, generic, and adversarial (e.g., historical, cultural, or theoretical) contexts.

• Locate, evaluate, paraphrase, and reflect on critical sources.

• Synthesize research and interpretive writing.

My name is Jason Ray.  I'm a PhD candidate and Senior Teaching Fellow in English here at Fordham University, focusing on medieval literature and critical theory. My dissertation project explores how nostalgia operates in medieval texts, particularly how medieval subjects themselves feel and write about their past in those texts. In 2022-2023, I had the opportunity to conduct research in the U.K. as a Fulbright scholar, so ask me about the U.K. — especially Wales, which is where I lived!  

Check out my other classes:

Composition II
Shakespeare: Inspiration and Influence