ENGL6699.01 Spring 2024 Seminar: Old English [Stanton]

 Images from The Wonders of the East in Cotton Tiberius B v (2nd quarter of the 11th century). L-R: elephant, blemmya, homodubii.

ENGL6699 Old English Language and Literature
Spring 2024                MWF11 Stokes 211S
Prof. Robert Stanton (stantoro@bc.edu), Stokes 385S
Office Hours: Wednesday 12:30-2 or by appointment

NB If you are reading a paper or PDF version of this syllabus, be sure to refer to the Canvas page at
https://bostoncollege.instructure.com/courses/1653637

This course opens a window on an age when English was young, warriors were loyal to their lord (or else), and monsters were real. The people who ruled and inhabited what is now England, from the fifth century until the Norman Conquest (1066), spoke and wrote a language that now shimmers between the deeply familiar and the deeply strange. The hard core of English - stone, wood, water and bone, sun and moon, mother and father, God, man and woman, wild and weird — all comes straight from Old English, but thanks to successive invasions, political and intellectual upheavals, cultural revolutions, and an almost limitless capacity for absorption, English has changed a lot in 900 years. Old English had a grammatical system that makes it look more like modern German, Scandinavian, or Dutch than modern English, and the grammar must be learned thoroughly and pretty quickly. Once you have done that, a world of literature opens up: powerfully violent heroic poetry, mournful elegy, intensely spiritual meditations, and fanciful romance.

We will read excerpts from some of the most famous Old English prose works, such as King Alfred's Preface to the Pastoral Care (in which he plans the revitalization of English learning), Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation (including the famous story of Cædmon, the first English poet), the mesmerizing apocalyptic Sermon of the Wolf to the English by the fire-and-brimstone preacher Wulfstan, the earliest version of the Bible in English, and the fantastic travel narrative The Wonders of the East; bits of saints' lives written by the famous abbot Ælfric in rhythmical prose (a kind of semi-poetry); and some of the most famous Old English poems in their entirety or in excerpts: the moody elegies The Wanderer, The Wife's Lament, and Deor, the splendid Christian psychedelia of The Dream of the Rood, the cryptic legendary remnant Wulf and Eadwacer, the delightful Exeter Book Riddles (which range from sublime to filthy), the stirring martial poetry of The Battle of Maldon, and of course the towering epic of heroic literature, Beowulf.

We will be working systematically through our textbook, Murray McGillivray's A Gentle Introduction to Old English. This text is designed to get you reading (and understanding!) Old English as quickly as possible. Each chapter is a separate lesson, which gives you information about some grammatical topic (e.g., cases, nouns, verbs, syntax), along with grammatical exercises and occasional short passages to get you started reading right off the bat. We will cover approximately two chapters per week: you will need to read the chapters, complete the exercises (not handed in but taken up in class), memorize some vocabulary, translate the reading passages in both chapters, be prepared to translate aloud in class (don’t worry – you’ll have plenty of practice on pronunciation), and write a quiz. Be sure to make a note of any questions that occur to you, bring them to class, and don’t be shy about asking them! As quickly as we can, we'll move to the companion volume, McGillivray's Old English Reader, which has all the works mentioned above, and more, along with a very full glossary. I want us to read as much literature as we can, as soon as we can. This means learning a lot of language in a short time, and the first part of the course will be very grammar-intensive. If you fall behind in a class this busy, it will be hard to catch up.

There will also be a midterm test and a final exam (both written in class).

When it comes to the final project, you will write about the language itself only if you are keen to do so: most of the paper topics will concern some aspect of Anglo-Saxon history and culture, such as the role of women, how the Danes conquered England, the production of fabulously intricate manuscript illumination, how they dressed, or what they thought about the devil. There will also be the option to write a creative piece. Here are some suggested topics.

Some of the work for the course is intended to be pure (or very nearly pure!) fun, and to help you engage with the way the language was formed and held together. Every Friday, two students will make brief (5-minute) presentations involving researching the history of a word or a semantic group, writing a short diary entry in Old English, or translating a short piece of modern English text into Old English.

Attendance:
Regular attendance is required in this course. Each lesson covers a lot of material, and there is not a lot of room for cutting! If you miss more than two classes without explanation (and “explanation” means a medical note or a letter from the dean), your grade will be lowered by a +/- for each class missed. The class participation grade reflects both attendance and level of preparation for translating.

Required Texts:
Murray McGillivray, A Gentle Introduction to Old English. Peterborough ON: Broadview, 2011. ISBN 978-1-55111-841-3 Here are some important corrections to the book
Here is a companion website to the book, with lots of online exercises.
Murray McGillivray, ed., Old English Reader. Peterborough ON: Broadview, 2011. ISBN 978-1-55111-842-0
both these texts, and many others,  are on reserve at BC Libraries

Academic Integrity
You should all be familiar with the university's policy on academic integrity.

Plagiarism is the act of representing the work of others as your own. Plagiarism has severe consequences, which can include failing the course or being suspended from the university. Do not cite the words or ideas of others in your papers without citing them in proper MLA format; do not hand in a paper you have written for another course; do not hand in a paper written by someone else. You are expected to adhere to the university’s academic integrity policy, which is available here.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tool Usage

See here for my policy on AI and some fun facts.

Connors Family Learning Center (CFLC)Links to an external site.
Located in 200 O’Neill Library, this is a place where you can go for one-on-one writing tutoring. This is a great resource if you’re feeling stuck or if you’d just like the feedback of another reader. Most professional writers would dream of such a ready resource, and it’s available to BC students for free. To schedule an appointment, call 552-0611 or use this form.Links to an external site.

Boston College Writing CenterLinks to an external site.
Located in Stokes 418S, the BC Writing Center offers one-on-one conferences to BC undergraduates looking for help with their writing and written assignments. Their specialists are trained peers who can help you brainstorm, analyze, and revise your papers, essays, reports, and creative pieces. 

Students With Disabilities
If you have a disability and will be requesting accommodations for this course, you have 2 options:

BC's Disability Service Office serves students with medical, physical, or psychological disabilities. To ask about their services, register with them, or request accommodations, use their websiteLinks to an external site., which has all the necessary forms and information.

Students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD should register with the Connors Family Learning CenterLinks to an external site.. 

In addition, if you have anything you'd like to share about your learning style, whether you are registered with a disability or not, I strongly encouraged you to contact me and we can talk about it together.

Counseling
If things become rocky for you at any point, or if you would just like someone to talk to — about feeling homesick, having trouble fitting in, or feeling depressed or overwhelmed — there are great people available to listen and help through the University Counseling ServicesLinks to an external site.. Use the website or call 552-3310 to set up an appointment, or stop by their office in Gasson 001. It’s free to all students. You are also always welcome to speak to me, and I can help to connect you to the resources best suited to your concerns.

Grading Scheme

Note: Graduate students may choose an alternate grading scheme, here.

Grade Ranges 

Schedule (subject to change; I am VERY open to suggestions for different readings!)

Final Paper Due: Sunday May 12, midnight on Canvas