RICE UNIVERSITY

Fall, 2005

ENGLISH 317/WTSG 317/MDST 301: ARTHURIAN LITERATURE:

The “Reel” Arthur                                                              

DR. JANE CHANCE

2:30-3:45 TTH  

Distribution I course

                                                                                               

 

 

DESCRIPTION: A survey of the origins and development of the Arthurian legend from the earliest chronicles in the sixth century and later medieval French, Welsh, Irish, and English Arthurian poems to modern adaptations of Arthurian material, ncluding films.

 

PURPOSE: This course will investigate the major traditions associated with King Arthur and his

knights of the Round Table. We will witness the growth of the Arthurian legend and investigate

some of the reasons for its continuing allure. The course has the additional purpose of helping us

see the way legends are developed and understand the forces which seem to contribute to their

growth and popularity, especially through the film discussions.

 

GRADES:  Two examinations = 50%

One short paper and 1 group power-point presentation/discussion = 50%

Attendance is mandatory and highly desirable; students are expected and encouraged to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned reading/viewing. Participation counts for borderline grades and by definition for the film presentation

 

TEXTS (all in paper, on reserve): In order of assignment (prices by amazon.com)

Excerpts from early (6th-9th c.) Arthurian Chronicles and Histories (Hand-out)

“The Dream of Rhonabwy,” from the Mabinogion (Hand-out)

Geoffrey of Monmouth, History of the Kings of Britain, trans. Lewis Thorpe (Penguin) 0140441700 $11.16 DA140 .G353 1966

Marie de France, Lanval, trans. Robert Hanning and Joan Ferrante (Baker Books) (Hand-out) PQ1494.L3 E5 1982

Chrétien de Troyes, Arthurian Romances, trans. William Kibler (Penguin) 0140445218 $11.20PQ1447 .E5 K53 1991

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, trans. James Winney (Broadview) 0921149921 $9.95 PR2065.G3 1992

Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, ed. Stephen H. A. Shepherd (Norton) 0-393-97464-2 $17.75

            PR2041. M37 2004     See Shepherd’s Website: http://faculty.smu.edu/sshepher/MorteDarthur.htm

 

FILMS (all on reserve, in order of discussion) Viewings other than at the Media Center @ 3pm Sunday TBA

The Sword in the Stone (1963), dir. Wolfgang Reitherman 79 mins. Walt Disney Productions

First Knight (1995), dir. Jerry Zucker 134 mins. Columbia TriStar 0800141601 PN1997 .F572 2000

Lancelot of the Lake (1974), dir. Robert Bresson 1995  80 mins. New Yorker Videos B0001Y4L PN1997 .L348 (vhs); PN1997 .L348 2004 (dvd)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), dir. Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones 90 mins. Columbia TriStar B00005O3vc PN1997 .M68 1991

Excalibur (1981), dir. John Boorman 141 mins. Warner Studios 6305558167 PN1997 .E92 1991 

The Natural (1984), dir. Barry Levinson  138 mins. Columbia TriStar B000056WQX

            PN1997 .K387 2001

Gawain and the Green Knight (1991), dir. John Phillips Thames Television  On order

The Fisher King (1991), dir. Terry Gilliam 137 mins. Columbia TriStar 0767811089

PN1997 .F573 1992

Mists of Avalon (2001), dir. Uli Edel PN 178 mins. Turner Home Video B00005Qw5Y

            1997 .m632 2001

King Arthur (2004), dir. Antoine Fuqua Buena Vista Home Video B0002YlcGO PN 1997.2 .K56 2004

 

SYLLABUS:

 

I. Introduction

First Week

Aug. 21 Sunday @ 3, Media Center:  Film viewing “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”

Aug. 23 Tues.  Topic: Introduction—An Historical or Legendary Arthur?

            Read Excerpts from Early Chronicles and Histories (Hand-out)

            Gildas, De Excidio et Conquesto Britanniae [On the Fall and Conquest of Britain] (c. 540), pp. 3-4

Bede, Historia Ecclesiastics Gentis Anglorum [Ecclesiastical History of the English People] (c.751), pp. 4-5

 

II. The Literary Backgrounds and Traditions

Aug. 25 Thurs. Topic: The Legendary Arthur

            Read Excerpts from Early Chronicles and Histories (Hand-out):

            Nennius, Historia Brittonum [History of the Britons] (c. 800), pp. 5-6

            Annales Cambriae [The Annals of Wales] (c. 950), p.7

William of Malmesbury, Gesta Regum Anglorum [History of the Kings of the English] (c. 1125), pp. 7-8           

Giraldus Cambrensis, De Principis Instructionae [On the Education of a Prince]  (c. 1195), pp. 9-11

 

Second Week

Aug. 30 Tues.  Topic: Arthur of Camelot: Fact or Fiction? The Archaeology

            Videotape on King Arthur: In Class

            Topic: Geoffrey of Monmouth and the History of Arthur

Read Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historiae Regum Brittonum [History of the Kings of Britain] (ca. 1129-1151), dedication & part I, Brutus, pp. 51-74; part IV, The Boy Merlin, pp. 166-69; part V, Merlin; 170-85; part VI,  Merlin, Vortigern, Uther Pendragon, pp. 186-211

Sept. 1 Thurs. Topic: Geoffrey of Monmouth and the History of Arthur

Read Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historiae Regum Brittonum (ca. 1129-1151), part VII, Arthur of Britain, pp. 212-61

                       

Third Week

Sept. 6 Tues.  Topic: Welsh Romance and the Battle of Camlann

            Read “Dream of Rhonabwy” from the Mabinogian (hand-out)

Sept. 8 Thurs. Topic: Gendering the Round Table through Alterity

            Read Marie de France, Lanval (hand-out)

 

Fourth Week

Sept. 13 Tues. Topic: Chrétien, Lancelot, or Knight of the Cart: Parody or Romance?

            Read Chrétien, Lancelot, or Knight of the Cart, in Kibler 

Sept. 15 Thurs. (cont.)

 

Fifth Week

Sept. 20 Tues. Topic: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Romance or Ritual?

            Read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Winney’s trans., Fitts 1-2

Sept. 22 Thurs. Topic: Gay Gawain?

            Read Fitts 3-4

 MID-TERM ID'S AND ESSAY QUESTIONS DUE FOR STUDY GUIDE

 

Sixth Week

Film viewing: The Sword in the Stone (1963) (based on T.H. White, The Once and Future King, book 1)

Sept. 27 Tues. Topic: Malory and the Maturation of the Hero

Reading: Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, “Fro the Maryage of Kynge Uther Unto King Arthure that Regned after Hym,” pp. 1-112

Sept. 29 Thurs. (cont.)

 

Seventh Week

Film viewing: First Knight (1995), dir. Jerry Zucker

Oct. 4  Tues. Topic: Malory and the Threat to the Old King

 Reading: Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, “The Tale of  Sir Launcelot and Quene Gwenyvere,” pp. 588-645

Oct. 6 Thurs. Topic: Malory and the Death of Arthur

            Reading: Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur, “The Dethe of Arthur,” pp. 646-98

Oct. 7 Fri. MID-TERM EXAMINATION due 9 A.M. at 235 Herring Hall or by e-mail

 

III. Individual Works: The Masterpiece and the Reinterpretation, into the Twentieth Century

 

Eighth Week

Oct. 9 Sun @ 3 Media Center Film viewing: Lancelot of the Lake (1974), dir. Robert Bresson

Oct. 10 & 11 Mon. and Tues. MID-TERM RECESS

Oct. 13 Thurs. Topic: The Postmodern Lancelot

            Film: Lancelot of the Lake (1974), dir. Robert Bresson

Read: Excerpts from the Prose Lancelot and “Lancelot at the Perilous Chapel,” Perlesaus, in Shepherd, ed. Le Morte d’Arthur, pp. 720-25

Oct. 14 Fri. Paper Due at 9 a.m.

 

Ninth Week

Oct. 18. Tues. Topic: Monty Python and the Postmodern Arthur

            Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), dir. Terry Gilliam

            Read: Malory, “The Tale of the Sankgreal,” Morte d’Arthur, pp. 496-587

Oct. 20 Thurs. Topic: Monty Python and the Postmodern Grail

            Film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), dir. Terry Gilliam

           

Tenth Week

Film viewing: Excalibur

Oct. 25 Tues. Topic: The Postmodern Sword

            Film: Excalibur (1981), dir. John Boorman

            Read: Excerpts from The Prose Merlin and the Suite de Merlin, in Shepherd, pp. 705-713

Oct. 27 Thurs. Topic: The Postmodern Sword

            Film: Excalibur (1981), dir. John Boorman

 

Eleventh Week

Film viewing: The Natural

Nov. 1 Tues Topic: The Postmodern Perceval

            Film: The Natural (1984), dir. Barry Levinson

Read: Malory, “The Tale of the Sankgreal,” Morte d’Arthur, pp. 496-587, esp. pp. 521-31, 544-87

Nov. 3 Thurs.  Topic: The Postmodern Perceval

            Film: The Natural (1984), dir. Barry Levinson

 

Twelfth Week

Nov. 6 Sunday Film viewing@ 3 Media Center: Gawain and the Green Knight

Nov. 8 Tues. Topic: Postmodern Sir Gawain?

            Film: Gawain and the Green Knight (1991), dir. John Phillips

Nov. 10  Thurs. Topic: Postmodern Sir Gawain?

            Film: Gawain and the Green Knight (1991), dir. John Phillips

            Study Guide ID’s Due

 

Thirteenth Week

Film viewing: The Fisher King

Nov. 15 Tues. Topic: Monty Python Redux, or The Postmodern Grail

            Film: The Fisher King (1991), dir. Terry Gilliam

            Read: Excerpts from The Queste del Saint Graal, in Shepherd, ed. Morte d’Arthur, pp. 733-39

Nov. 17 Thurs.  Topic:  Monty Python Redux, or The Postmodern Grail

            Film: The Fisher King (1991), dir. Terry Gilliam

 

Fourteenth Week

Film viewing: Mists of Avalon, Part 1

Nov. 22  Tues. Topic: Postmodern Morgan?

            Film: Mists of Avalon (2001), dir. Uli Edel

            Read: “The Tale of Sir Launcelot du Lac,” in Malory, Morte d’Arthur, pp. 151-76

Nov. 24 Thurs.  Thanksgiving Vacation

 

Fifteenth Week

Film viewing: Mists of Avalon , Part 2

Nov. 29 Tues. Topic: Postmodern Morgan?

            Film: Mists of Avalon (2001), dir. Uli Edel

Dec. 1 Thurs.

            Summary and Evaluations

Dec. 2 Fri. SECOND EXAM DUE 9 a.m.

 

Dec. 21: Grades are due at the Registrar’s.

 

Requirements:

 

I. Short Paper (no less than 5-7 pp.) Due: Oct. 14 (Fri.). The paper must be typewritten, doublespaced, with adequate margins, and submitted on the date due. Assignments will be graded on both form and content:  originality of thesis, cogency of argument, clear, coherent organization, and sufficient  development.

 

Two choices of topic:

 

1. Write a short research paper or critical analysis on some aspect of any of the medieval

works we are reading or on on one of the following selected topics (a research bibliography fol