ENG 3803 - Summer 2026 - Bates

When it comes to medieval texts, the words upon them are only half the story, the rest lies within the scribbles of bored scribes, faint text long scraped away, and beautiful illuminations. This course introduces the history of the different technologies humans have used to record and communicate information in various contexts. Students investigate how technologies have shaped the way we produce, transmit, receive, and understand texts. Within this course we will be zooming into the history, creation, and secrets of these texts within the Middle Ages. We will touch upon palimpsest, illuminations, maps, and other such works as well as delve into the writing itself and what it tells us about the text it belongs too. This course will work with the textbook Introduction to Manuscript Studies and include a visit to Special Collections.