University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 1

Planned timetable: To be confirmed

This module introduces students to the nuanced ways in which late medieval texts expressed and negotiated the emotion of love in all its complexity. How did authors imagine, understand, and communicate such universal experiences as falling in and out of love, true love, or the sorrow of unrequited feelings? How did they depict the joyful hopefulness of love at first sight, the intensity of romantic and sexual desire, or the transcendent heights of contemplative rapture? The diverse selection of texts and genres includes poetry, prose, and lyrics; it spans both sacred and secular literature, addressing a rich variety of authorial and readerly responses to the mystery of love. The study of these texts will be interdisciplinary, incorporating illuminated manuscripts, modern mindfulness, queer re-readings of seminal works, texts from the global Middle Ages (read in translation), perspectives from disability studies, and connections to medievalisms.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass EN2003

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: Two-hour seminar (x 10 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours: 40

Guided independent study hours: 260

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework - 100%

As defined by QAA
Coursework: 100%

Re-assessment: Coursework - 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr R S Rohrhofer
Module teaching staff: Dr Raphaela Rohrhofer
Module coordinator email rsr8@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• Demonstrate the ability to critically analyse Middle English poetry, prose, and lyrics using advanced close reading skills.
• Develop research skills by engaging with primary and secondary sources, and present findings clearly and persuasively, both in written and oral formats.
• Assess the ways in which late medieval literature reflects the social, cultural, religious, and historical constructs of love, and articulate how these concepts influenced later periods.
• Synthesise perspectives from various academic fields, such as art history/manuscript studies/history of the book, disability studies, queer theory, and medievalism.
• Compare and contrast the thought, literature, and artistic traditions from different parts of the world, identifying common themes and recognising the diversity of perspectives within the late medieval period.