Medieval & Renaissance Studies 3023:

Exploring Medieval & Renaissance StudiesFall 2017

Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:30-2:45Farzaneh 148

Professor of record: Joyce ColemanOffice: English Dept., Cate II, 316 Cate Center Dr., rm. 325Email: joyce.coleman@ou.eduOffice hours: Mondays 3-5; and by appointment

PREREQUISITE: Junior standing or above, or permission of instructor.

ASSIGNED TEXTS Clifford R. Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe, 3rd edition (Oxford:

Oxford University Press, 2015). ISBN: 978-0199372294. Other material will be posted on the class’s Canvas site as pdfs, Word

documents, or links.

INSTRUCTOR: This course will be taught by a series of faculty lecturing in their area of expertise, coordinated by Prof. Joyce Coleman, who will be present at every class and will serve as instructor of record. Four other OU professors will serve as “core faculty members” (see list below); these individuals have participated in the planning of the course, will be teaching several classes each, and will be consulting on grading in their fields. Other OU professors (see “visiting instructors” list below) will visit the class for one or two lectures.

Instructor of record: Prof. Joyce Coleman, English Dept. (and director, Center for Medieval &

Renaissances Studies)Email: joyce.coleman@ou.eduOffice: Cate II, 316 Cate Center Dr., room 325

Office hours: Tuesdays 11-1; and by appointment

Advisory instructors of record (“core faculty members”): Prof. Kathleen Crowther, History of Science Dept.

Email: kcrowther@ou.eduOffice: Physical Science Building, room 625Office hours: Tuesdays 1-3 pm; and by appointment

Prof. Roberta Magnusson; History Dept.Email: rmagnusson@ou.edu Office: Dale Hall Tower 822Office hours: Mondays 1-3 pm

Prof. Jennifer Saltzstein; Musicology Dept.Email: jennifersaltzstein@ou.edu

Office: Catlett Music Center 130Office hours: Wednesdays 1:30-3:30 pm

Prof. Rienk Vermij; History of Science Dept.Email: rienk.vermij@ou.eduOffice: Physical Science Building, room 625Office hours: Tuesdays 11-11.30 pm; and by appointment

Visiting instructors:Art History Dept., School of Fine Arts

Prof. Allison Palmer; apalmer@ou.eduClassics & Letters Dept., College of Arts and Sciences

Prof. Sara Coodin; coodin@ou.eduHistory Dept., College of Arts and Sciences

Prof. Jane Wickersham; jwickersham@ou.eduInternational Area Studies

Prof. Gershon Lewental; lewental@ou.eduModern Languages Dept., College of Arts and Sciences

Prof. Roberto Pesce (Italian); roberto.pesce@ou.edu Prof. Joe Sullivan (German); jsullivan@ou.edu

School of Law Dean Brian McCall; brian.mccall@ou.edu

Women’s and Gender Studies, College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Andreea Marculescu; andreea.marculescu@ou.edu

“Dream” guests from other universities: Dr. Jane Gilbert, French, University College London, England Prof. Nükhet Varlık, History, Rutgers University, Newark Prof. Martha Carlin, History, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Dr. Pamela Long, independent scholar

SYLLABUSUnit I: Fall of the Western Roman Empire through the Carolingian period

(5th-10th centuries)

Aug. 22 Introductions

Aug. 24 Historical overview of the period (Roberta Magnusson) ASSIGNMENTS

REQUIRED: Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chaps. 5-6 RECOMMENDED : Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chaps.

1-4

Aug. 29 Literature (Joyce Coleman)(Anglo-Saxon literature) ASSIGNMENTS

Excerpts from Bede, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People “The Seafarer” “The Dream of the Rood” Excerpts from Beowulf Map of Medieval England (for reference)

Aug. 31 Music (Jennifer Saltzstein)(Gregorian chant) ASSIGNMENTS

Excerpts from the Rule of St. Benedict Vespers chants for Christmas Day Chant recordings

Sept. 5 Intellectual history (Gershon Lewental; combined with his class)(Islam) ASSIGNMENTS

Hugh Kennedy, Preface and Forward to The Great Arab Conquests Excerpt from Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad b. Jarīr al-Ṭabarī, The History of

al-Ṭabarī, trans. William Montgomery Watt and Michael V. McDonald

Sept. 7 Discussion / SynthesisUnit 1 unit-papers due to Canvas by start of class

Unit 2: The High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries)

Sept. 12 Historical overview of the period (Roberta Magnusson) ASSIGNMENTS

REQUIRED: Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chaps. 11, 14 RECOMMENDED: Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chaps.

7-10, 12-13, 15-16

*Sept. 14 Literature (Jane Gilbert, University College London)(Medieval French literature)

ASSIGNMENTS Guide to Romance of the Rose excerpts Excerpts from Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun, The Romance

of the Rose

Sept. 19 Intellectual history (Brian McCall, School of Law)(Development of the universities; Aristotle; Aquinas; law) ASSIGNMENTS

View video, on Canvas Excerpts from Gratian, Decretum Excerpts from Aquinas, Treatise on Law from Summa theologica

*Sept. 21 Intellectual history (Nükhet Varlık, Rutgers University Newark)(Medicine, plague) ASSIGNMENTS: Read (at least) ONE of these two pdfs:

Selections from Rosemary Horrox, trans. and ed., The Black Death M.E. Wiesner et al., “Facing the Black Death (1300-1400)”

Sept. 26 Music (Jennifer Saltzstein, Musicology)(Polyphony; troubadour song) ASSIGNMENTS

Excerpt from Andreas Capellanus, The Art of Courtly Love Troubadour songs: texts; and polyphonic motet Troubadour songs: recordings

Sept. 28 Art (Joyce Coleman, English)(Manuscript culture)CLASS VISIT TO THE MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE COLLECTION, OKLAHOMA CITY ASSIGNMENTS: Visit the following websites and watch the videos or

read overthe webpage: Getty Museum overview of manuscript creation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aDHJu9J10o Explanation of “folios”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=HKBJkf2xbqI Randy Asplund demonstrates how he makes modern medieval

books: http://www.randyasplund.com/pages/article/schiff1.html

And the famous “Medieval help desk” video (demonstrating that the “book” as we know it was a medieval invention; the Greeks and Romans used scrolls): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ

NOTE: Due to the distance to be travelled, and the time needed for the tour, we will need to leave the Norman campus at 12.30 pm on Sept. 28. Students can expect to arrive back by around 3.30 pm.

Prof. Coleman can provide a letter of explanation for students who will have to miss other classes for this trip. If class or other commitments make it impossible for a student to join the trip, there will be no penalty for their absence.

Prof. Coleman is currently investigating options for transportation to and from Oklahoma City.

Oct. 3 Literature (Joe Sullivan)(Arthurian literature) ASSIGNMENTS

Introductory videotaped lecture by Prof. Sullivan Yvain reading guide: things to think about as you read Yvain Excerpt from Chrétien de Troyes’ Yvain

Oct. 5 Discussion / SynthesisUnit 2 unit-papers due to Canvas by start of class

Unit 3: The late Middle Ages and early Renaissance (14th-15th centuries)

Oct. 10 Historical overview of the period (Roberta Magnusson) ASSIGNMENTS

REQUIRED: Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chaps. 17, 18, 20

RECOMMENDED: Backman, The Worlds of Medieval Europe: chap. 19

*Oct. 12 History (Martha Carlin, Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee)(Medieval food, taverns, city life) ASSIGNMENTS: Read (at least) ONE of these two articles:

Martha Carlin, “Fast Food and Urban Living Standards in Medieval England”

Martha Carlin, “‘What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?’ The Evolution of Public Dining in Late Medieval and Tudor London”

Week of Oct. 16-20: Each student should meet with Prof. Coleman or one of the instructors of record—Profs. Crowther, Magnusson, Saltzstein, or Vermij—to discuss what you want to write your final paper about. Their contact information is on the first page of this syllabus. Choose the professor most relevant to your potential topic. (Prof. Coleman will cover both literature and art.)

Oct. 17 Art (Allison Palmer)(Giotto and the Arena Chapel)

ASSIGNMENT Andrew Ladis, “The Legend of Giotto’s Wit and the Arena Chapel”

Oct. 19 Music (Jennifer Saltzstein)(Trecento polyphony; early Renaissance song)

ASSIGNMENTS Assorted songs TBA

Oct. 24 Literature (Roberto Pesce)(Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio) https://canvas.ou.edu/conversations

ASSIGNMENTS TBA

Due-date of a preliminary outline of the final paper, with bibliography.

Oct. 26 Literature (Joyce Coleman)(Chaucer and the late 14th century) ASSIGNMENTS

Excerpts from Geoffrey Chaucer, The House of Fame Chaucer, The Pardoner’s Prologue and Tale from The Canterbury

Tales

Oct. 31 Intellectual history (Kathleen Crowther)(Global exploration and its impact) ASSIGNMENTS

Kathleen Crowther, “Encountering Indigenous Peoples” Amerigo Vespucci, “Account of His First Voyage, 1497” Christopher Columbus, “First Letter to the Spanish Monarchs”

Due-date for professors to provide feedback on students’ paper outlines and

bibliography.

Nov. 2 Discussion / SynthesisUnit 3 unit-papers due to Canvas by start of class

Unit 4: Renaissance, Reformation, and Counter-Reformation(16th-17th centuries)

Nov. 7 Historical overview of the period (Rienk Vermij)(Humanism) ASSIGNMENTS

Excerpts from Erasmus’ works The Godly Feast (read through p. 71) The Colloquies Letter to Rogerus

Nov. 9 Historical overview of the period (Jane Wickersham)(Religious controversies; world exploration; printing press)

ASSIGNMENTS Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian

The Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants

Nov. 14 History (Andreea Marculescu)(Demons, representations of Hell, witches, and magic)

ASSIGNMENTS Excerpts from Witchcraft in Europe, 400-1700: A Documentary

HistoryDue-date of the draft of the final paper.

*Nov. 16 Intellectual history (Pam Long, independent scholar, Washington, D.C.)(Scientific Revolution)

ASSIGNMENTS Galileo Galilei, Sidereus nuncius, or The Starry Messenger

Nov. 21 Art (Allison Palmer)(Jan van Eyck) ASSIGNMENTS: Read (at least) ONE of these two articles

Linda Seidel, "Jan van Eyck's ‘Arnolfini Portrait’: Business as Usual?”

Jan Baptist Bedaux, “The Reality of Symbols: The Question of Disguised Symbolism in Jan van Eyck's ‘Arnolfini Portrait’"

Due-date of feedback on students’ draft final paper

Nov. 23 NO CLASS: ENJOY THANKSGIVING!

Nov. 28 Music (Jennifer Saltzstein)(Renaissance song from England, France, and Italy) ASSIGNMENTS

Thomas Weelkes; Clement Janequin; Luca Marenzio

Nov. 30 Literature (Kathleen Crowther and Joyce Coleman)(From manuscript to print)CLASS VISIT TO BIZZELL LIBRARY’S SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (5TH FLOOR) ASSIGNMENTS

Websites with videos showing how early printed books were made

Dec. 1 Due-date of the final paper, to be uploaded to Canvas.

Dec. 5 Literature (Sara Coodin)(English: Shakespeare)

ASSIGNMENTS Excerpt from William Shakespeare, King Lear Excerpt from Michel de Montaigne, "Apology for Raymond Sebond"

Dec. 7 Discussion / Synthesis

Dec. 11 Final exam 1.30-3.30, Farzaneh 148