University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable: To be arranged.

Relations between the medieval Occident and Orient were highly complex during a period that saw violent crusades and interracial conflicts. Cases abound where notions of East and West merge and the East itself may even appear as no more than fantasy. Alongside the hideous monsters common to medieval epic, throughout the 12th-13th centuries there are many examples of fascination with the East that betray a desire to emulate its opulence as well as a fear of the foreign. This module consequently aims to introduce students to a variety of literary representations of the medieval East and its residents, focussing above all on representations of cultural difference, the marvellous, and the exotic. The set texts give students the chance to engage with theoretical questions of otherness, fantasy and gender in relation to the specific historical period in question and to develop their ability to work critically with primary materials.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Permission of the French Honours Adviser

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: Seminar, lecture and 1 surgery hour.

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: Coursework = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr V C Turner
Module teaching staff: Dr V Turner
Module coordinator email vct2@st-andrews.ac.uk