Links to Legend

This module builds on the ideas presented in Ancient Origins and shifts the story of English to some of the earliest works of literature in English. Students will experience Beowulf, the oldest existing piece of English literature alongside some of the texts it has inspired. Students will read extracts from both Seamus Heaney’s and Maria Headley’s translations and well as a brief foray into Old English. From there, students will jump to Arthurian legend through the lens of Simon Armitage’s version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as well as extracts from Mallory’s Le Morte Darthur. Finally, students will read some of the foundational legends from China (Journey to the West, Wu Cheng’en) and the Middle East (A Thousand and One Nights.)

Resources