English 332
Arthurian Literature
Interterm 2008, Bowman 307
Dr. Stan Galloway
Bowman 304, 828-5339
sgallowa@bridgewater.edu
Texts:
Lupack, Alan, ed. Modern Arthurian Literature. New York: Garland, 1992.
Steinbeck, John. Tortilla Flat. 1935. New York: Penguin, 1986.
Sutcliff, Rosemary. The Light Beyond the Forest. New York: Penguin-Puffin,
1981.
Tennyson, Alfred. Idylls of the King. 1885. New York: NAL-Signet, 2003.
On Reserve:
Ashley, Michael, ed. Arthurian Legends. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1998.
---. The Chronicles of the Round Table. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1997.
Darrah, John. Paganism in Arthurian Romance. Rochester, NY: Boydell, 1994.
Goodrich, Peter, ed. The Romance of Merlin. New York: Garland, 1990.
Hall, Louis B. The Knightly Tales of Sir Gawain. Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1976.
Lee, Tanith. "The Lady of Shallott House." Realms of Fantasy 4.1 (1997): 51-54.
Lupack, Alan and Barbara Tepa Lupack. Arthurian Literature by Women. New
York: Garland, 1999.
Macleod, Mary. The Book of King Arthur and His Noble Knights. New York:
Stokes, n.d.
Martindale, Lee. “The Impression of Power.” To Stand as Witness: Three
Arthurian Tales. Alma, AR: Yard Dog Press, 2002. 13-18.
Masefield, John. John Masefield. Ed. David Llewellyn Dodds. Arthurian Poets.
Rochester, NY: Boydell, 1994.
Matthews, John. Secret Camelot: The Lost Legends of King Arthur. London:
Blandford, 1997.
---. The Song of Arthur. Wheaton, IL: Quest, 2002.
---. The Unknown Arthur: Forgotten Tales of the Round Table. London:
Blandford, 1995.
Roberts, Theodore Goodridge. The Merriest Knight. Ed. Mike Ashley. Oakland,
CA: Green Knight, 2001.
Robinson, E.A. E.A. Robinson. Ed. James P. Carley. Arthurian Poets. Rochester,
NY: Boydell, 1990.
Ryan, Pamela. A Dictionary of King Arthur’s Knights. Charleston, SC: Nautical &
Aviation, 2001.
Schweitzer, Darrell. "Bitter Chivalry." Realms of Fantasy 5.3 (1999): 42-47, 73.
Stewart, R.J. The Book of Merlin. London: Blandford, 1987.
Yolen, Jane, ed. Camelot. New York: Philomel, 1995.
Objective:
Through reading, viewing, hearing, and discussing variations and interpretations
of the Arthurian legends, each student will come to a clearer understanding of
the nature of Arthurian myth and its major symbols, and how the myth and its
symbols have helped shape the thinking of writers today.
Quizzes:
An undetermined number of quizzes will be given each day (often more than
one) over material covered the previous day or over material assigned to be read
for that day. Review your notes before each class period. Class attendance is
important. As a portion of your quiz score, each hour in class will be worth 1
point for a total possible of 40 points for attendance. Quizzes will account for
20% of your final grade.
Short Paper:
Each student will write a 2-3 page essay on a creative (fiction, poetry, drama)
work assessing its use of Arthurian materials and its usefulness in Arthurian
studies. Brief comparisons to a specific version of the legend are expected,
usually Malory or Tennyson. This paper will be 20% of your final grade.
Long Paper:
Each student will write an 8-to-10-page research-supported essay (2000-3000
words) worth 40% of the final grade. The paper is to assess a work (or group of
works) or a theme related to the Arthurian legend. The thesis should go beyond
reporting what others have said, either by assessing work not in the usual body
of criticism or by recombining ideas in a manner not used by other critics. At
least 3 sources must be used (excluding reference works); one source must be
primary (the work itself); one source must be secondary (criticism or analysis of
the work). More than three sources may be necessary to sustain your argument.
General Guidelines on Papers (both):
1. Papers will be typed, double-spaced.
2. Papers will be turned in flat with heading but no cover sheet. Do not use
plastic covers or binders; use only a staple or a paper clip to hold the
paper together.
3. Late papers will be penalized 10% of their worth per day. No papers will
be accepted after 4 p.m. on January 22.
4. Documentation must conform to MLA guidelines. MLA style does provide
some options; our definitions of it will include use of in-text, parenthetical
citations, a Works Cited page, consistent pagination, and no cover sheet.
Project:
Each student will produce a 3-page (minimum) report highlighting a specific
character of the Arthurian canon, chosen during the first days of class to avoid
duplication. Graphics are encouraged. The report will include a bibliography of
stories that contain the character, a separate bibliography of secondary sources,
and a thorough description of the character and his/her importance. The project
will be presented in a 3-5 min. summary on the final day of class. This project
will account for 20% of the final grade.
Grading Proportions:
Quizzes 20%
Short paper 20%
Long paper 40%
Project 20%
Calendar
Green titles are online
Black titles are in your required textbooks
Pink titles are on reserve in the campus library
Gold titles are in bound periodicals in the campus library
Brown titles are, as evident, movies we will watch during class
Jan 2 Introduce syllabus; view Le Morte D'Arthur (50 min.).
3 Discuss Historical Arthur: Ashley “The Realm of the Round Table”
(Chronicles 1-6), Masefield "Dust to Dust" (133), Carradice "The
Isle of Avalon" (Ashley, Arthurian 558-566)
Discuss Vortigern and Merlin: Geoffrey of Monmouth "Vortigern’s
Tower" (Goodrich 58-60), Boron "Vortigern’s Tower" (Goodrich
104-109), Heywood "The Life of Merlin Ambrosius" chapter 3
(Stewart 161-165).
Discuss Uther and Arthur’s Childhood: Darrah "Conception" and
"Upbringing" (110-14), "Sir Cleges" (Matthews, Secret 71-75),
Boron "Merlin’s Introduction to Uther and Pendragon" (Goodrich
109-115), Masefield "Old Tale of the Begetting" (135), Masefield
"The Birth of Arthur" (45-50), Crompton "Excalibur" (Yolen 79-90),
White "Wart Meets Merlin" (Goodrich 343-352); view The Last
Legion (110 min.).
4 Discuss Excalibur: Pyle "The Winning of a Sword" (Ashley,
Arthurian 41-76) and Masefield "All Hallow Night" (277).
Discuss the Kingdom’s Beginning: Tennyson "The Coming of
Arthur" (5-19), and Carr "King Arthur" (Lupack 235-292), view The
Sword in the Stone (79 min.) and The Legend of Percival (30 min.).
7 Discuss Morgan and Mordred’s Birth: Robert de Boron "The
Begetting of Mordred" (Goodrich 121-127) and Masefield "The
Begetting of Modred" (56-57).
Discuss Gareth, Dinadin, and Percival: Tennyson "Gareth and
Lynette" (20-60), Roberts “The Goose Girl” (Roberts 122-140 or
Ashley, Chronicles 196-212), Sutcliff "The Coming of Percival"
(Sword 243-261), Darrah, "Knighthood" and "Combat" (115-117),
view Excalibur (141 min.).
8 Discuss Lancelot: Matthews "The Story of Lanzalet" (Secret 151175), Tennyson "The Lady of Shallott" (295-300 or Lupack 145150), Lee "The Lady of Shallott House" (RoF 4.1 51-54), Timlett
"The Temptation of Lancelot" (Ashley, Arthurian 144-159),
Tennyson "Lancelot and Elaine" (152-190), view The Lady of
Shallott (20 min.).
9 View Merlin (182 min.).
10 Discuss Merlin: Middle English "The Interment of Merlin"
(Goodrich 177-178), Robinson "Merlin" (Lupack 361-429),
Tennyson "Merlin and Vivien" (126-152), Wilbur "Merlin Enthralled"
(Lupack 455-56), Colander "The Naming of the Lost" (Lupack 47682), “The Impression of Power” (Martindale 13-18); view King
Arthur (140 or 126 min.).
11 Discuss Gawain: Matthews "The Rise of Gawain" (Secret 101114), MacDonald and Boyle "Holly and Ivy" (Yolen 125-135),
Matthews or Hall "Sir Gawain and the Carle of Carlisle" (Matthews
86-91 or Hall 21-32), Tiner "The Carl of Carlisle" (Ashley, Arthurian
263-288), Percy "The Marriage of Sir Gawaine" (Lupack 108-118),
Matthews "The Knight with the Sword" (49-56), Hall "An Adventure
of Sir Gawain" (115-125), view Gawain and the Green Knight (76
min.).
14 Discuss the Holy Grail: Tennyson "The Holy Grail" (190-214),
Tennyson "Sir Galahad" (Lupack 151-53), Macleod “The Castle of
Maidens” (318-22), Teasdale “Galahad in the Castle of the
Maidens” (Lupack & Lupack 277), Jewett “The Dwarf’s Quest”
(Lupack & Lupack 251-57), Schweitzer "Bitter Chivalry" (RoF 5.3
42-47, 73); Sutcliff “The New-made Knight,” “The Thunder and the
Sunbeam,” “Sir Percival: Kings and Demons” “The Ship and the
Sword,” “Death of a Maiden,” “The Grail” (7-24, 47-62, 100-18,
135-44); view Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (126 min.)
15 Discuss Pelleas and Tristan: Tennyson "Pelleas and Ettarre"
(215-231), Matthews “The Madness of Trystan” (Unknown 92-98),
Arnold "Tristram and Iseult" (Lupack 196-218), Masefield "Tristan
and Isolt" (185-195), Hervey "Sir Tristram’s Tale of Mad King Mark"
(Lupack 219-224), Hervey "The Boy Alisaunder’s Tale of the
Forgiving Heart" (Lupack 229-234), Tennyson "The Last
Tournament" (232-252). Galloway “Guinevere’s Apple” online,
Matthews “Drustan’s Ghost” (Song 85-93), view Tristan + Isolde
(125 min.); short paper due at 1 p.m.
16 Discuss Guenevere and Lancelot, and Mordred: Mnookin
“Guenever Prays for a Child” and “Guenever Loses Her Baby”
(Lupack & Lupack 345, 349-52), Machen "Guinevere and Lancelot"
(Ashley, Arthurian 482-490), Swinburne "Lancelot" (Lupack 185195), Robinson "Modred" (383-387), Masefield "The Hunt is Up"
(278-280), Masefield "Fight on the Wall" (92-106), Masefield
"Modred the Messenger" (281-282), Masefield "The Breaking of the
Links" (107-112), Masefield "Gareth’s Wake" (283-287), Morris
"The Defence of Guenevere" (Lupack 159-168), Swinburne "The
Day Before the Trial" (Lupack 183-184), Masefield "The Old Tale of
the Breaking of the Links" (136-144), Tennyson "Guinevere" (253271), Teasdale "Guinevere" (Lupack 359-60); view Babylon 5: A
Late Delivery from Avalon (60 min.)
17 Discuss Arthur’s Death and the Fall of the Kingdom: Masefield
"Gwenivach Tells," "Arthur in the Ruins," "The Fight at Camlan,"
"The Fight on the Beach or The Passing" (Masefield 113-128),
Tennyson "The Passing of Arthur" (272-285), Bannerman “The
Prophecy of Merlin” (Lupack & Lupack 43-49), Tiedemann "All the
Iron of Heaven" (Yolen 153-172), Morris "King Arthur’s Tomb"
(Lupack 169-182), Reese “Guinevere in Almesbury Convent”
(Lupack & Lupack 237), Mnookin "Guenever Speaks" (Lupack 48388), Masefield "Gwenivere Tells" and "The Death of Lancelot As
Told by Gwenivere" (Lupack 145-50), Ciardi "Launcelot in Hell"
(Lupack 457-59), Springer "The Raven" (Yolen 136-151), Masefield
"Midsummer Night" (85-91), view First Knight (112 min.).
18 View Camelot (177 min.); long paper due at 1 p.m.
21 Discuss Tortilla Flat, Miller “From Avalon” (Lupack & Lupack
239), view Monty Python and the Holy Grail (90 min.); present
final project, 2:50-4 p.m.