Old English

Course goals

The successful student will: 
1. be able to analyse, interpret and translate Old English texts from the period c. 600 CE – c. 1100 CE
2. have deep knowledge of the cultural and historical context of this literature and will be able to report on this orally and in writing
3. understand the development of the English language in the period and will be able to reflect on this orally and in writing
4. be able to independently employ the scholarly apparatus (specialised dictionaries, grammar, bibliography) belonging to the field
5. be able to use their growing proficiency in Old English for subsequent course work in the RMA programme, including research apprenticeships and the RMA-thesis
 

Content

Old English is one of the options for fulfilling the core curriculum module Reading and Interpreting Sources. It is designed for students of the North Sea Area track whose research interests lie in Medieval England and who do not have proficiency in Old English. It is also appropriate for students in other tracks of the Ancient, Medieval or Renaissance RMA who wish to pursue research related to medieval England. The ability to read and interpret sources written in Old English is an advanced academic skill that is crucial for conducting research in the field of Medieval Insular Studies, as well as related fields that engage with early medieval North Sea literature, culture and language. Advanced skills in this domain will provide a strong foundation for research apprenticeships and RMA thesis work, and is a key asset when pursuing a PhD position upon graduation.

The term ‘Old English’ denotes the early stage of English spoken between c. 600 CE – c. 1100 CE. This interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to the phonology, syntax and morphology of Old English and helps students develop skills in translating Old English. By placing the study of Old English in its cultural historical context through the translation and discussion of literary and non-literary texts, the course engages with topics such as medieval history writing, learning in Anglo-Saxon England, daily life, the position of women, early legal tradition, manuscript culture and materiality as a window into the past. The course also explores how Anglo-Saxon culture and Old English coexisted and interacted with the cultures and languages of other peoples that dominated the British Isles during the early medieval period: the Insular Celts, North Sea neighbours like the Scandinavians, Franks and Frisians and the Latin literary traditions and religious innovations of the classical world.