What happens to the medieval Christian community when the unity of the Church breaks down? How does a narrative position its author and its characters within contemporary political controversy? Which characters are inside the traditional bounds of community? Which are outside? And how should we interpret the differences between them? In this course, we will examine these and other questions about medieval English literature and culture through the lens of Chaucer's writing. The course focuses on Middle English language and poetics as well as medieval structures of community-political, cultural, religious, and economic. The course will give special attention to how differences and conflicts, including those born of physical disparities and religious heresies, are managed within communities and portrayed in literature.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 25

Prerequisites: None.

Instructor: Whitaker

Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall

Notes: