The societies that produced these great sagas and stories were often at the boundary of pagan and Christian beliefs, values, and practices. Their conversion to Christianity was in recent memory, which means that they had not entirely left behind their pre-Christian mentalities. They retained numerous aspects of the older Germanic warrior codes and Celtic culture. Were these men and women therefore only superficially Christian? Were their warrior codes compatible with Christian belief? The course will use literature as a source of history. Aspects of the development of the English language will be explored, but this is not a course on the history of Anglo-Saxon or Middle English.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students will be more familiar with the occasionally uneasy existence between the pagan and Christian roots of personal action, worldviews, and ethics. Students will have a better idea of the types of societies these nations were, and the ideals they held. Who were the heroes for these societies? Did they place their hope in God, in destiny, or in both?
Texts
Beowulf
Old Norse Sagas (Völsunga saga; The Saga of Eirik the Red), extracts of other sagas
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles (entries on Viking raids)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Selections from Chretien of Troyes and from The Nibelungenlied
Grades 10-12
Course Description - Wednesdays, 10:30 EDT
$775