Course Specification

Course Title	Voices from our past: the earliest English Literature
Author	Sandie Byrne
Study time (In hours)	10 hours a week over 10 weeks = 100 study hours 10 cats points
Structure	10 units of one week each induction in addition to get students up and running
Delivery	Self paced within the framework of a week, as students need be in roughly the same place to participate in discussions. Majority of communication asynchronous 1 tutor per 25 students
Target Audience	Graduates of English courses whose start date for texts studied was later than the Anglo-Saxon period Participants in earlier online literature courses Those interested in the origins of the English language and of English literature The audience for popular history and archaeology television series Members of reading groups and book clubs. Those interested in Old English literature and Anglo-Saxon culture who would find the study of Old English daunting Those with increased available reading time (e.g. retired people). Ex-English students who would like to have a ‘refresher’ course. English teachers who would like to have a ‘refresher’ course
Description The course will cover the following content areas:	An accessible introduction to the earliest extant English literature. This course aims to dispel the popular myth that Old English literature is either dreary or solely concerned with battles, and will introduce participants to the range of Old English literature, from stirring tales of heroism, courage, and fellowship, to poignant elegies of love and loss; from passionately devout to earthily humorous. Areas covered include: Anglo-Saxon history and culture; an introduction to Old English texts; in-depth exploration of selections from Old English texts in translation; an introduction to and taster of a variety of Old English; Old English script and runes; manuscripts; tools for close critical analysis; the heroic tradition; paganism and Christianity; women in Anglo-Saxon culture.
Objectives The course will enable participants to:	The course aims to enable students to gain an enjoyment and appreciation of Old English texts and an understanding of the contexts of those texts. On successful completion of this unit, participants will be able to have knowledge of a range of Old English texts in translation; have gained or developed tools of critical analysis and understanding; have encountered samples of Old English dialects and Old English scripts; have explored archaeological findings relating to the 5th to 11th centuries; have an understanding of the history of settlement of England by peoples from the north and east.
Learning Outcomes Participants will have gained:	Knowledge	Participants will gain knowledge of: ·         the range and variety of the Old English language (introductory); ·         the range and variety of Old English literature; ·         the history of the Anglo-Saxon invasions and settlement of England (survey)
	Understanding	Participants will gain understanding of: ·         the relationship between Old and Modern English; ·         the diversity of Old English dialects; ·         genres, subjects, traditions and conventions of Old English literature (in translation); ·         sources of our knowledge of Anglo-Saxon culture; ·         practices and beliefs of the Anglo-Saxon peoples;
	Skills	Participants will gain or enhance skills of close critical analysis.
Assessment	One short ‘test your knowledge’ quiz (150 words); one short critical analysis of an extract from a text in translation (850 words).
Pedagogy	The bulk of the course content will be delivered with assigned reading from existing online resources for each week. Most texts used in the course are available for free legal download, but books containing primary sources and translations will also be recommended for future consultation. Reading will be guided either by a brief statement or more detailed notes. In addition to reading, participants will be asked to examine and comment on images of (e.g.) artefacts. Each week, content will be supported by activities, designed to progress the learning. These will range from short blog entries on life in an Anglo-Saxon village, or discussion within the unit forum of the significance of an archaeological find, to the identification of features in a line of poetry, or a commentary on a short extract from a translation of an Old English text.
List of units	1.       Ancestral voices: the Anglo-Saxon peoples 2.       Old English voices: introduction to the texts (in translation) 3.       Hearing voices: getting more out of reading 4.       Pagan voices and Christian voices: The Dream of the Rood; Caedmon’s ‘Creation Hymn’ 5.       Old English voices: a taster of Old English language 6.       Epic and heroic voices: The Battle of Maldon; The Battle of Brunanburgh Beowulf 7.       Beowulf 2 8.       Women’s voices: ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’; ‘The Wife’s Lament’; Judith 9.       Single voices and echoing voices: ‘The Seafarer’; ‘The Wanderer’, ‘The Ruin’; the influence of Old English literature 10.   Riddling voices: Old English Riddles; further exploration: further reading; forums; courses
Screens per unit	·         Unit introduction ·         Context setting ·         Reading ·         Unit activities ·         Additional and optional reading ·         Unit conclusion
Textbook(s)

 

Unit 1
Title	Ancestral voices: the Anglo-Saxon peoples
Unit description	In this unit, we shall look at what historians and archaeologists have learned about the diverse groups of people collected under the term 'Anglo-Saxon', and how they have acquired that knowledge. We shall examine archaeological and historical websites which describe the arrival, dispersal, and settlement of those people, and which provide examples of the artefacts left behind. We shall investigate some false assumptions about these peoples, for example, that the 'Anglo Saxons' were one homogeneous group, that they arrived en masse and as strangers to the British Isles when the Romans had left, and that their culture was barbaric and crude.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to introduce participants to the history of the earliest 'Anglo-Saxon' settlers of England, and their subsequent history. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         understand the composition of the groups of people known as 'Anglo-Saxons'; ·         have knowledge of the patterns of settlement of Anglo-Saxons peoples in England; ·          have knowledge and understanding of aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture.
Guided Reading	Peter Baker’s introduction to Old English http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/resources/IOE/index.html Chapter One   The History Files: Anglo-Saxon kingdoms http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/MainListsBritain.htm#Anglo-Saxons   Dr Stuart Lee, Lectures on Old English Context: 1 and 2, Historical texts and Society http://reader.feedshow.com/show_items-feed=68b0498e92912d132b0127f052945a40 also at: http://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/site/human/english/staff/stuart/podcasts/   Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the British Nation http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html   Anglo-Saxon archaeology blog http://www.archaeology.eu.com/anglo-saxon/weblog/   Sutton Hoo Society http://www.suttonhoo.org/   Maps of Anglo-Saxon England http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=show&page=Maps
Activity	Begin a blog: life in an Anglo-Saxon village; forum discussion: myths and knowledge about the Anglo-Saxons; begin a blog of progress in understanding Anglo-Saxon culture
Further resources	Anglo-Saxons net http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/   The British Museum http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/families_and_children/online_tours/anglo-saxon_england/anglo-saxon_england.aspx (artefacts)   World Museum Liverpool http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/humanworld/antiquities/anglosaxon/ (artefacts)   Regia Anglorum http://www.regia.org/listings.htm (life)   The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art (EBSCO essay) http://connection.ebscohost.com/content/article/1040844463.html;jsessionid =2C2135AC54D57254B15AE0B0E1443F72.ehctc1
Media	Websites, podcast, course notes

 

Unit 2
Title	Hearing voices: introduction to Old English texts in translation
Unit description	In this unit, we shall encounter a range of Old English texts: epic; elegiac; humorous; religious. Participants are invited to browse the categories and to read a selection of texts in translation, alongside notes, glossary and exegeses. We shall also look at the function of poetry, riddles, and other literary forms in Anglo-Saxon culture, and begin our exploration of the genres and conventions of Old English composition.
Learning objectives	The aim of this unit is to introduce participants to the range and diversity of Old English texts. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         have knowledge of some of the key genres of Old English literature; ·         understand aspects of the traditions and conventions of Old English composition; ·         be able to locate and use sources of free legal downloadable Old English texts and texts in translation; ·         understand aspects of the process of translation and modernisation of Old English texts
Guided Reading	Extracts from: The Exeter Book (Old English texts) http://www8.georgetown.edu/departments/medieval/labyrinth/library/oe/exeter.html   Jonathan Glen’s translations of OE literature http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/index.htm   Readings (audio clips) of Old English poetry http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/readings/readings.html   University of Oxford online Old English course pack (for browsing at this stage) http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/
Activity	Forum discussions: first responses to reading Old English texts, comparison of two short extracts from translations; produce some compound words in the style of a Scop. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading
Media	Book, websites, audio files, course materials (notes, bibliography)

 

Unit 3
Title	Hearing voices: getting more out of reading Old English texts
Unit description	In this unit, we shall be working through a number of short exercises designed to help participants to sharpen critical faculties and to identify and appreciate the function of literary devices and conventions. We shall pay particular attention to conventions and forms of Old English discourse.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to enable participants to develop skills of close critical analysis which will help them both to understand and appreciate literary texts, and to provide skills specific to the understanding and appreciation of Old English texts. On successful completion of this unit, participants will have: ·         enhanced skills for the analysis and evaluation of literary texts ·         greater knowledge and understanding of the language, forms, and conventions of Old English texts; understanding of mss sources understanding of characteristics of Old English manuscripts
Guided Reading	Peter Barker’s Introduction to Old English website, chapters 13, 14 and 16 http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/resources/IOE/index.html   Fathom (mss) http://www.fathom.com/course/10701049/index.html   British Library Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts http://prodigi.bl.uk/illcat/welcome.htm
Activity	Short exercises in critical analysis with forum discussion; make notes on the lecture on your blog. First assessed assignment: identify examples of a selection of the following: alliteration; likely placement of strong stresses; caesurae; compound words; figurative language. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Glossary, hand-outs; ‘click and reveal’ elements of lines from Old English texts in translation The Old English manuscripts database http://www8.georgetown.edu/departments/medieval/labyrinth/subjects/mss/oe/oldeng.html Bibliography of further reading
Media	Book; websites; course materials (notes, glossary)

 

Unit 4
Title	Pagan voices and Christian voices
Unit description	In this unit, we shall be looking at the pagan religion of the first Anglo-Saxon arrivals in England, and the conversion of the Anglo-Saxon peoples to Christianity. We shall then explore two important Old English texts, the short 'Caedmon's Hymn' and the long poem The Dream of the Rood, looking at what these texts tell us about religious belief and practice as well as how religious and spiritual ideas are expressed in them. We shall examine religious and other artefacts from the period which relate to these poems, and explore the ways in which pagan imagery and symbolism, and the motifs of the heroic/warrior culture are intermingled with those of the Christian tradition.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to introduce participants to a selection of Old English texts which narrate religious creation myths, express religious beliefs, and represent the transition from and intermingling of, pagan and Christian traditions. On successful completion of this unit, participants will have: ·         in-depth knowledge and understanding of two Old English texts; ·         knowledge of extracts from further Old English texts; ·         understanding of the cultural and historical contexts of religious and spiritual writing from the period.
Guided Reading	The Dream of the Rood translation at the University of California http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/texts/rood.htm The Dream of the Rood at Jonathan Glen’s translations of OE literature http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/index.htm   University of Oxford online Old English course pack hypertext of The Dream of the Rood http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/rood/index.html   Caedmon’s ‘Hymn’ and commentary at the University of Toronto http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/369.html   Bede’s account of the composition of Caedmon’s ‘Hymn’ from the Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum at Hereot.dk http://www.heorot.dk/bede-caedmon.html Regia Anglorum, section on Religion and the Church http://www.regia.org/listings.htm Dr Stuart Lee, Lectures on Old English Context: 3, Religion and Magic http://reader.feedshow.com/show_items-feed=68b0498e92912d132b0127f052945a40 also at: http://weblearn.ox.ac.uk/site/human/english/staff/stuart/podcasts/
Activity	Forum discussion: pagan and Christian symbolism in The Dream of the Rood; make notes on the lecture on your blog; short notes on the imagery of Caedmon’s ‘Hymn’. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading Aelfric’s Life of St Edmund at the Oxford University online Old English coursepack http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/edmund/index.html
Media	Websites, podcast, course notes

 

Unit 5
Title	Old English voices: a taster of the Old English language
Unit description	In this unit, we shall look at the languages spoken by the Anglo-Saxons in England, not with a view to becoming fluent speakers or readers, but in order to understand some of the key features of the language, its variants, and its relationship to the languages spoken by the Anglo-Saxon peoples who did not come to England, and to Modern English.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to give participants a taste of Old English and a sense of some of the ways in which it is related to modern English. On successful completion of this unit, participants will have: understanding of aspects of the inflexion system of Old English; understanding of the Old English alphabet and runes; understanding of some of the varieties of Old English; understanding of some Old English origins of modern English words; understanding of aspects of the pronunciation of Old English; some Old English vocabulary.
Guided Reading	Peter Barker’s Introduction to Old English website Chapters 2 and 3 http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/resources/IOE/index.html   Selections from: Modern English to Old English vocabulary at Memorial University http://www.mun.ca/Ansaxdat/vocab/wordlist.html   Murray McGillivray’s online course in Old English at the University of Calgary http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/eduweb/engl401/   The development of English at Rice University http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words04/   Old English language course taster http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/OEsteps/index.html   Thesaurus of Old English at the University of Glamorgan http://libra.englang.arts.gla.ac.uk/oethesaurus
Activity	Work through an exercise from Steven Pollington’s Old English course; http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/OEsteps/contents.html ; forum discussion: Old English words still in use; optional activity: write a line in Old English. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading; Modern English to Old English vocabulary at Memorial University http://www.mun.ca/Ansaxdat/vocab/wordlist.html
Media	Websites, course materials

 

Unit 6
Title	Epic and heroic voices
Unit description	In this unit, we shall be looking at extracts from three important Old English texts: The Battle of Maldon, The Battle of Brunanburh and Beowulf. As well as appreciating these texts as literature, we shall also be examining their representation of conventions of the heroic tradition, such as the relationship between a king or chieftain and his warriors, friendship and comradeship, gift-giving, revenge, and honour.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to introduce participants to the heroic tradition represented in Anglo-Saxon art and in Old English texts. On successful completion of this unit, participants will have: ·         understanding of the heroic tradition of Anglo-Saxon culture; ·         knowledge of some major battles of the period; ·         knowledge of Anglo-Saxon warrior artefacts; ·          knowledge of two key texts in the heroic tradition.
Guided Reading	Text and guide to The Battle of Brunanburh at Tom Kinsella’s webspages http://loki.stockton.edu/~kinsellt/litresources/brun/brun1.html Beowulf hypertext by Anne Savage at McMaster http://www.humanitiourse pack http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/maldon/index.html   The Battle of Maldon at Jonathan Glen’s translations of OE literature http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/index.htm   Hypertext edition of The Battle of Maldon at the Oxford University online Old English coursepack http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/maldon/index.html   Extract from Beowulf (audio file) read by Steven Pollinger at http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/readings/readings.html
Activity	Forum discussion of the heroic tradition. Listen to the section of Beowulf on ‘The Funeral of Scyld Scefing’ at http://www.tha-engliscan-gesithas.org.uk/readings/readings.html and post a commentary about its heroic element on the unit forum; explore context, criticism and images on the Oxford University online Old English course pack. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading
Media	Books, course materials (notes), websites

 

Unit 7
Title	Beowulf 2
Unit description	In this unit, we shall be looking in depth at perhaps the most famous Old English text, Beowulf, which we began to read in Unit 6.
Learning objectives	The aim of this unit is to enable participants to use the skills of close critical analysis gained in Unit 3 to understand, appreciate, and analyse the structure, themes and style of Beowulf. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         have more knowledge of the text of Beowulf; ·         have a greater understanding and appreciation of the literary and cultural value of Beowulf; ·         be able to compare and analyse different translations of Beowulf.
Guided Reading	Three extracts from Beowulf in hypertext at the Oxford University Old English online coursepack http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/beowulf/index2.html http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/beowulf/index.html http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/beowulf/index1.html   Beowulf hypertext by Anne Savage at McMaster http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~beowulf/main.html ‘Beowulf in hyperspace’ http://www.heorot.dk/   Beowulf at Labyrinth Library at Georgetown University http://www8.georgetown.edu/departments/medieval/labyrinth/library/oe/texts/a4.1.html   The electronic Beowulf Project http://www.uky.edu/~kiernan/eBeowulf/guide.htm
Activity	Choose a short section of Beowulf and follow the links in the hypertext and other electronic editions to make an annotated edition of a short section on your blog. Discussion on the unit forum of genealogy, kinship, and other ties in Beowulf. (regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	As unit 7
	Books, websites, audio file, course notes

 

Unit 8
Title	Women’s voices: ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’, ‘The Wife’s Lament’, Judith
Unit description	In this unit, we shall be looking at a selection of texts which represent women in Anglo-Saxon culture: ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’, ‘The Wife’s Lament’ and Judith.
Learning objectives	This unit aims to introduce participants to the representation of women in Old English texts, and to a number of historical women who lived during the Anglo-Saxon period. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         have knowledge of three key Old English texts and understanding of key subjects and themes; ·         have knowledge of Anglo-Saxon women of whose lives records remain; ·         have knowledge of what is known of the daily lives of Anglo-Saxon women
Guided Reading	Jonathan Glen’s translations of OE literature http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/index.htm ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’   ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’ with gloss at Virginia University http://faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/anthology/wulf.html     Ellen Amentenhelo’s translation of ‘The Wife’s Lament’ http://research.uvsc.edu/mcdonald/AngloSaxon/wife'slament/wifetrans.html   Oxford University course pack on ‘The Wife’s Lament’ http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/coursepack/wifeslament/index.html   Essay on Judith from the University of York. http://www.york.ac.uk/teaching/history/pjpg/Judith.pdf   ‘Anglo-Saxon women’ at Hullsweb http://www.hullwebs.co.uk/content/c-anglo-saxon/home-life/anglo-saxon-women.htm   ‘Anglo-Saxon women’ by Cathy Coone-McRary http://virtual.park.uga.edu/~mathelie/mathi3.html#women   TALL: there doesn’t seem to be a reliable translation of Judith online, so we may have to provide an extract.
Activity	Second assessed activity: choose one from a list of questions and produce a piece in continuous prose of 800 words: either a commentary on the cultural significance of an artefact chosen from a selection of images, or a close critical analysis of an extract chosen from a selection. Work through the sections of the Oxford University course pack on ‘The Wife’s Lament’, looking at criticism and context. Forum discussion of the representation of women in OE texts. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading Anglo-Saxon women’s clothing at Garb the World http://www.garbtheworld.com/pgs/hist/anglosaxonfemale.shtml Women’s clothing at Octavia net http://www.octavia.net/9thclife/Clothing.htm
Media	Websites, course notes

 

Unit 9
Title	Single voices and echoing voices: ‘The Seafarer’; ‘The Wanderer’; ‘The Ruin’
Unit description	In this unit, we shall look at three poems which exemplify two important themes in Old English literature, the unhappy fate of the isolated individual, and the transience of things.
Learning objectives	The aim of this unit is to enable participants to explore in detail three important Old English texts, and to gain a greater understanding of some central themes of Old English literature. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         have detailed knowledge and appreciation of three major Old English poems ·         have understanding of the major subjects and themes of three major Old English poems ·         have further experience of the range of criticism of Old English texts
Guided Reading	Jonathan Glen’s translations of OE literature: ‘The Seafarer’ ‘The Wanderer’ http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/index.htm   Short film version of ‘The Ruin’ by Dr Stuart Lee at http://unlocked-wordhoard.blogspot.com/2007/01/ruin-movie.html   Parallel texts at Anglo Saxons net http://www.anglosaxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Wdr http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Sfr   Translation by Eleanor Johnson of ‘The Ruin’ http://www.fascicle.com/issue02/translations/ejohnson1.htm
Activity	Discussion on the unit forum of the relationship of the individual and society in Old English poetry; watch Stuart Lee’s film version of ‘The Ruin’ and post a commentary/review on the forum. (Regular activity: continue blogs)
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading.
Media	Books, websites, course materials (notes).

 

Unit 10
Title	Riddling voices, other voices: the Riddles; the end of an era; further exploration
Unit description	In this unit, we shall look at some Old English riddles and consider what they tell us about an Anglo-Saxon view of the world, and some texts from the end of the period in which the Anglo-Saxons controlled England. This unit also offers possibilities for further exploration of Anglo-Saxon culture and Old English literature.
Learning objectives	The aim of this unit is to introduce participants to a selection of Old English riddles and to the history of the two threats to Anglo-Saxon dominance in England: the Viking raids and the Norman invasion. It also includes suggestions for opportunities for participants’ further exploration and study after completion of the course. On successful completion of this unit, participants will: ·         have knowledge of characteristic forms of Old English riddles; ·         be able to relate the conventions of Old English riddles to other Old English writing ·         be aware of possibilities for further study and exploration
Guided Reading	‘A Feast of Creature: Anglo-Saxon Riddle Songs’, by Craig Williamson http://www2.kenyon.edu/AngloSaxonRiddles/feast.htm   Translation of five Old English riddles by Jonathan Glenn at the University of California http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/texts/oeriddles.htm   Essay on Old English riddles at http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~cpercy/courses/1001Brewer.htm   Audio files of riddles at the University of Virginia http://faculty.virginia.edu/OldEnglish/Guide.Readings/Riddles.html   The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles at Webmesh http://www.webmesh.co.uk/a-s-homepage.htm   King Alfred’s Translation of Boethius’ Consolations (the Viking invasions of Saxon England) http://beowulf.engl.uky.edu/~kiernan/ENG720/SdgTrans/SedgefieldProseTrans.htm
Activity	Write a modernised ‘Old English’ riddle; forum discussion: ‘riddles’ in longer Old English texts; complete blogs, post anything to be made accessible to others, comment on others’ blogs.
Further resources	Bibliography of further reading; Electronic Journal: Dragons in the Sky http://users.ox.ac.uk/~stuart/dits/ The Heroic Age: Journal of Early Medieval Northwestern Europe http://www.heroicage.net/issues/3/toc.html Englisc Composition Listserve http://www.rochester.edu/englisc/ Anglo-Saxon England: A Guide to Online Resources http://www.the-orb.net/encyclop/early/pre1000/asindex.html
Media	Websites, audio files, course materials