ENG 5206 Spring 2020 Johnson

ENL 5206: Studies in Old English Language and Literature is an introduction to the language and literature of Anglo-Saxon England. The cultural and historical entity that we refer to as “Anglo-Saxon England” lasted from about 500-1200. This period saw the production of literature, art and other cultural institutions that are still with us today. In this course we will explore the language of the Anglo-Saxons, focusing for the first six weeks on learning to translate what to many would appear to be a foreign language, but which in reality is the ancient ancestor of our own. Our choice of texts will allow us to gain some insight into how the Anglo-Saxons thought about this life and the one(s) to come, as well as the literary forms they gave such cultural expressions. We will read both poetry and prose from this era that deals with the timeless themes of life and death, from The Dream of the Rood to excerpts from King Alfred’s translation of the De consolatione Philosophiae. No prior knowledge of Old English or any other synthetic language (such as Latin or German) is required or assumed.