Imagining 'Britain': Decolonising Tolkien et al

Code

HIST2056

School

History

Level

2

Credits

20

Semesters

Autumn UK

Summary

This module examines the myths and legends of the ‘British’ isles as written about by twentieth-century authors such as JRR Tolkien in Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, and the Silmarillion, and by CS Lewis in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe Series. This module will explore the historiography of British myth-making and whether Tolkien and Lewis were retelling, reinventing or fabricating British mythology. Students will also be invited to explore the foundation of British myths known colloquially within the term ‘The Matter of Britain.’
 
The module will begin with defining the difference between myths, legends and history. And key texts that will be explored are those from the twelfth-century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth. Students will be asked to contextualise and critique his work. Monmouth claimed to be writing history: students shall explore the difference between writing history and myth making. In pursuance of this, other mythologies will be explored such as those contained in the Annals of Cambriae and the Historia Brittonum.  In addition, students will explore issues of chivalry, nobility and ethnicity in Arthurian legends such as the French classic The Romance of Morien written in the thirteenth century. Students will be encouraged to decolonise these myths, re-interpreting some as fantasies and others as an exoticisation of indigenous and foreign ethnic groups, gendered politics, cultural and religious otherness and ancient, medieval and early modern notions of chromatics.
 
Later parts of this module, perhaps for the first time in a history degree, will explore the myth making and rituals detailed in the extensive works of antiquarian writers such as: David MacRitchie and the Gypsy Lore Society, Albert Churchward and Godfrey Higgins. These authors’ works are often excluded from mainstream scholarship and yet sometimes embraced by African centred authors. This module will explore why these differences occur in how these works are perceived.

Target Students

Students must have taken HIST1001 or HIST1002. Liberal Arts and Joint Honours students are encouraged on this module because it is interdisciplinary nature. It is available to exchange students hosted by the Department of History.

Classes

• One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
• One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks

Assessment

• 50% Coursework 1: 2,500 word essay
• 50% Coursework 2: 2,500 word document analysis

Assessed by end of autumn semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Intellectual skills:  
Students should be able to 

●  think critically about the subject matter  

●  identify and address some of the key problems arising from the study of Medieval 'peoples'.  

●  make use of secondary and primary sources in constructing explanations of key developments  
present coherent and effective historical arguments.  

Professional/practical skills:  
Develop students' ability to  

●  select, sift and synthesise information from numerous secondary and some primary sources  

●  identify and compare key arguments in those materials  

●  plan, research and write essays based on their research  

●  use IT to access historical sources and information and to complete historical assignments.  
 

Transferable skills:  
Develop students' ability to  

●  manage a large and disparate body of information  

●  express themselves clearly, coherently and fluently in writing assignments  

●  give short oral presentations (informally assessed)  

●  work and learn actively with others  

●  manage and take responsibility for their own learning. 

Conveners

• Dr Onyeka Nubia