English 313 is an introduction to the Old English language (its phonology,
morphology, and syntax) and to Old English literature. In this course you will learn the language and translate poetry from the original.
We meet Monday evenings on campus.
We will be using:
- Henry Sweet, Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Primer, 9th edition (Oxford), ISBN 0198111789;
- Richard Marsden, The Cambridge Old English Reader (Cambridge), ISBN 0521456126.
- The Anglo-Saxon World, ed. Kevin Crossley-Holland (Oxford), ISBN 0192835475
All books are available
at Odyssey Books in the mall at 9 College Street.
We will read Michael
Drout's online grammar as a supplement to Sweet. The link is here: King
Alfred's Grammar. (We may also read Hans-Peter Hasenfratz, Die Germanen, if the translation is published by the Fall.) You need not have Malcolm Godden and Michael Lapidge, The Cambridge Companion to Old
English Literature (Cambridge, 1991). But it is an excellent resource comprised of top-notch essays. Also,
an excellent student dictionary is J. R. Clark Hall, A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 4th edition
(University of Toronto, 1960). There are a number of recommended readings. These are available in
the library, or at any of the dozens of libraries in the vicinity. You need purchase none of these. I will also be providing
NB. You priority in this class is to understand the language.
So, please make sure to have Sweet as soon as possible.
We begin with an introduction to the language of Anglo-Saxon England
in the ninth century. You must be competent in
English grammar (here is
a good, short book on English grammar; check the library, too).
We will discuss various aspects of the language's syntax, morphology,
phonology, and history. This will continue throughout the course. We will
also translate and discuss Old English poems, saints' lives,
wills, charters, and so forth. Finally, we will discuss briefly
the culture of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages in
order to contextualize the Old English texts.
Attendence is encouraged. Lectures and discussions provide
much of the material for which you are responsible. I will
not repeat a lecture, summarize a lecture, or provide anyone
with my lecture notes. My lectures are copyrighted material, so no recording, please.
There is a midterm exam, a final paper, and many homework assignments.
Midterm is worth 20%; final paper is 35%; and each assignment is 5% of your total grade (3 quizzes, 5 homeworks). You
can replace up to two (2) assignments with short, philological papers (topics here).
Here is a Final
- Papers must be handed in at the beginning of class on the date due.
Late papers will not be accepted.
- All missed assignments get an "F." If you foresee being absent, please
let me know well beforehand.
- Please check your student handbook or college guidelines for information on plagiarism.
- All papers must be typed or word-processed.
See Undergraduate Grading Policies.
Everyone is encouraged to meet with me at least once during the semester,
if only to verify that the grades you have correspond to the
ones in my gradebook. Please make an appointment to meet with me at a time
convenient to you and I will try to oblige.
Each author's ideas and phrasing are his or her own property. If
you reproduce them without due recognition, then you have committed
plagiarism. If you have any question whatsoever about whether
you might be committing plagiarism, please consult me immediately.
On the whole, the college expects you to act and write with
the highest degree of integrity. For more information, consult
your handbook or the pages in this site devoted to plagiarism
NOTE 1: Please make and keep a copy
of all your assignments. That copy may be a disc copy. In
case any difficulties arise with respect to misplaced assignments
or with respect to discrepancies between your records and
my own, I will accept the evidence of your computer system's
dating function. For your own peace of mind, I suggest that
you lock any document on the day it is due. That will prevent
your system from associating your document with a later date.
NOTE 2: The schedule of this course is subject to change. It is not to be
construed as a substitute for your attendance or as a catalogue
of all the information for which you are responsible. All changes
will be announced beforehand. This syllabus and the accompanying
schedule constitute a binding contract between a student and
professor. If you do not agree with any of the provisions set
herein and as of this moment, then you are free to drop this
class within the time allotted by the administration.
NOTE 3: All material pertaining to this course is copyrighted
material and is subject to international and US laws of copyright.
No recording devices, please.
MHC Academic Calendar
To search the Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, click
MHC Williston Library
of Old English
ANSAX database (FAQ)
Norse Saga Net
Dumézil, Norse Gods
of St. Gall
Old English at UVa
Viking Ship Museum
Warning! Jingoistic anti-Roman revisionism, but nevertheless informative:
VIDEO: The Ancient Celts
VIDEO: The Goths
VIDEO: The Barbarian Tribes