ENGLISH 214

Early Texts: Modern Inventions

Description

A study of key works and contexts of selected medieval and early modern writers, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Behn. Offers a compact history of literary engagements with important social issues that arose in a period notable for revolution and reform; also develops knowledge of literary forms and trends that are historically important, but, in this period, relatively new.

For full course information see the Digital Course Outline.

Digital Course Outlines for 2025 will be refreshed around November/December

Availability 2025

Not taught in 2025

Lecturer(s)

Lecturer(s) Dr Sophie Tomlinson

Reading/Texts

Malory, King Arthur and his Knights; Selected Tales by Sir Thomas Malory, ed. Eugene Vinaver (Oxford, 1975), York Mystery Plays: A Selection in Modern Spelling, ed. Richard Beadle and Pamela King (Oxford, 1984), Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, ed. Peter Holland (Penguin, 2000); Jonson, Volpone, or The Fox, ed. Robert Watson, New Mermaids (2003); Behn, Oroonoko and Other Writings, ed. Paul Salzman (Oxford World's Classics, 2009).

Texts for Chaucer, Sidney and Shakespeare sonnets, Marvell and Donne poems to be advised.

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

ENGLISH 214: 15 points

Prerequisites

15 points at Stage I in English

Restrictions

ENGLISH 210, 330