Description

In Medieval Literature Live, students will read, discuss, and write about some of the greatest works from the Medieval era. Understanding the literature of a certain time period encourages a love of that time period.

The class will meet once per week over Zoom, on Wednesdays from 2:30-3:30 PM Central Standard Time.

The class will give your student a thorough understanding of basic literary principles, reading comprehension skills, and a strong writing foundation. The format will be discussion-based with short lectures focused on the historical context of a particular book or play. Students will read a variety of literary forms and learn how to write a basic thesis paper and find their own voice. The papers should reflect the student’s personal opinion as well as his ability to grasp literary concepts. The course can be used alongside Dave Raymond’s Christendom course, but is also structured to stand alone.

List of Readings

Bold items need to be purchased separately. Suggested purchase links are provided.

1. Confessions by Augustine (selections) [Thomas Williams translation]
2. Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)
3. The Song of the Nibelungs
4. The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (selections)
5. The Divine Comedy by Dante (selections) [Dorothy Sayers translation: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3]
6. “The Second Shepherd’s Play”
7. Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory
8. Selections from Renaissance poetry
9. The Prince by Machiavelli (selections)
10. Henry V by Shakespeare [Norton Critical Edition]
11. The Faerie Queen by Edmund Spenser (selections)
12. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle [Amazon]

Schedule of Class Meetings

Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 PM Central Standard Time

1. Aug 21
2. Aug 28
3. Sep 04
4. Sep 11
5. Sep 18
6. Sep 25
7. Oct 02
8. Oct 09 Fall Break (no class meeting)
9. Oct 16
10. Oct 23
11. Oct 30
12. Nov 06
13. Nov 13
14. Nov 20
15. Nov 27 Thanksgiving Break
16. Dec 4
17. Dec 11
18. Dec 12-Jan 7 Christmas Break
19. Jan 08
20. Jan 15
21. Jan 22
22. Jan 29
23. Feb 05
24. Feb 12
25. Feb 19
26. Feb 26
27. Mar 05 Spring Break
28. Mar 12
29. Mar 19
30. Mar 26
31. Apr 02
32. Apr 09
33. Apr 16 Easter Break
34. Apr 23
35. Apr 30
36. May 07
37. May 14

Mary Pierson Purifoy has completed a history degree and was homeschooled until college. An avid reader and writer, she hopes to teach students to love books, writing, and history as well as a solid understanding of these subjects. Film is another passion as is exploring history through film and literature.