Legacy Course Catalog
ENGL 633M - Medieval Outlaws
| Effectivity: | 08/20/2007 - 12/15/2007 @ Purdue West Lafayette Traditional |
|---|---|
| Credits: | 3 |
| Instructional Types: | Lec |
| Usually Offered: | fal spr sum |
| Short Title: | Medieval Outlaws |
| Description: | Our fascination with criminal heroes, such as Billy the Kid, Jesse James and Bonnie and Clyde, has a long history, extending back to legendary accounts in medieval chronicle, romance, and ballad. While some medieval outlaws-Robin Hood ("Prince of Thieves") and William Wallace ("Braveheart")-remain folk heroes to this day, others are less familiar: Earl Godwin, Hereward the Wake, Eustace the Monk, Fouke fitz Waryn, Gamelyn, Owain Glendower, and William of Cloudesley. All were driven to lives of crime as victims of political intrigue or legal injustice. They committed capital crimes punishable by death, but, paradoxically, were loved, encouraged and supported by their people and celebrated in poetry, prose, and plays. This course focuses on eleven medieval outlaw tales, newly translated into modern English, and attempts to answer such questions as: What was an outlaw? What were the causes and consequences of outlawry? Was outlawry ever justified? Who was the audience? What are the common themes? Are the stories related? An how do we account for their appeal, then and now? Students will also read about the relevant historical and legal backgrounds, vital to an understanding and appreciation of the tales, which range in date from the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries. The first half of the semester will be devoted to the evolution of the outlaw narrative up to the Tale of Gamelyn, and the second half will focus on Robin Hood and William Wallace. Course requirements: the class will operate as a seminar with frequent reports and two papers. |
| School: | College Of Liberal Arts |
| Department: | English |
| Credit By Exam: | NO |
| Repeatable Flag: | YES |
| Temporary Flag: | YES |
| Full Time Privilege Flag: | NO |
| Honors Flag: | NO |
| Variable Title Flag: | NO |
Fall 2007 *** indicates the course was still an active course and was transferred to the Banner Catalog effective Spring 2008. This course was not expired Fall 2007.
