The Old English Elegies
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| ENGL4416 | English | 4 | N/A | April Full Year UK, Full Year UK, January Full Year UK |
- Code
- ENGL4416
- School
- English
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- N/A
- Semesters
- April Full Year UK, Full Year UK, January Full Year UK
Summary
In this pod students will explore the Old English poems known as elegies, which survive in the tenth-century Exeter Book. Though the categorisation of these poems as a genre is a modern convention, we will examine the shared themes, stylistic features, and poetic form of the elegies to think critically about their relationship to one another and their manuscript context. Using a selection of poems in the original Old English and in translation—including The Wanderer, Deor, and The Wife’s Lament—students will draw on a variety of critical approaches to conduct their own analysis and interpretation of the texts.
Target Students
Students registered on the School of English online masters scheme.
Assessment
- 100% Participation: Student participation.
Assessed by end of designated period
Educational Aims
This module comprises an optional component in the following pathways: Applied English, Early Medieval Studies, English Literature, Medieval Englishes, and Medieval Literatures. As such, it contributes in its specific aims to the programme-level coverage of these pathways.Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the literary, cultural, and manuscript context of the Old English elegies.
- Critically discuss the themes, form, and shared features of Old English elegies.
- Construct and communicate sustained analysis of one or more primary texts, with reference to the original Old English language.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills acquired to the appropriate disciplinary and professional standard.
- Assimilate and present subject-specific material in an appropriate format (assessed within the ‘Assessment Portfolio’ 1, 2 or 3).
Conveners
Last updated 07/01/2025.