Instructor: Alan Jalowitz	Office Phone: 863-7484
Office Hours: 1:00 - 2:00pm daily, and by appointment.	Course Website: http://www.personal.psu.edu/acj2
Office: S409 Burrowes Building	Email: acj2@psu.edu
	Home Phone:  867-3032

Required Texts:

The Romance of Arthur: An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation -- James J. Wilhelm

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court -- Mark Twain

Comparative Literature 106 Course Packet, available in the bookstore on campus: texts originally written in ten different languages are included.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This three credit course will survey the growth and development of the legends surrounding King Arthur and his court from their beginnings in medieval Europe through their adaptations in the modern era in the West and Japan. We will compare and discuss changes in the cultural ideals represented, the literary techniques employed, and the characterizations adopted. Lectures and discussion will be supplemented by overheads, slides, music, and clips from movies dealing with Arthurian themes. There are no prerequisites for this course.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the course, you should have gained:

• insight into the development of the Arthurian legend and its importance as a great literary tradition across cultures and through time.
• a basic understanding of literary criticism and fundamental literary terms.
• a familiarity with expectations for the discussion and interpretations of literary texts.
• opportunities to practice speaking and writing skills.

Your final grade will be based on two midterms, a final exam, daily work and quizzes, and participation. However, if you prefer, you may substitute a paper on a twentieth century adaptation of the Matter of Arthur for one of the midterms. The breakdown is as follows:

Daily Work, Quizzes, Participation 20%

Exams: The exams will use a combination of short answers, identifications and essays. The final will be comprehensive.

Make-Up Policy: Any student with a legitimate reason for missing a midterm exam may arrange for a make-up exam. To request a make-up midterm, you must contact me before the exam, except in the case of illness or family emergency. In such a case, an acceptable excuse must be provided. Multiple make-ups will not be given--one specific time will be announced. In-class quizzes and missed daily assignments cannot be made-up except in the cases listed above.

Paper: You may make arrangements with me to substitute a relatively brief 4-5 page paper for one of the two midterms. This paper will focus on one of the myriad of twentieth century adaptations of the Matter of Arthur, excluding the extra credit films and the literature we discuss in class. This paper can address issues of faithfulness in adaptation, 20th century cultural expectations, combining different strains of the legend and other ideas. You are welcome and strongly encouraged to seek my counsel on a proposal for a paper. I will wish to know the subject matter beforehand.

Daily Work, Quizzes and Participation: Attendance for this class is required and will be recorded. More than four unexcused absences will negatively and proportionally affect this portion of the grade. Participation in the discussions of the class will be expected for you to earn credit in this section. Commentary of substance made through email to me will also count toward overall course participation. There will also be periodic announced and unannounced quizzes to verify reading and comprehension.

Extra Credit: Five extra credit films will be shown in the evening during the progress of the semester. To receive extra credit, you must write a brief report on that film and turn it in to me within one week of the day the film is screened. If you cannot attend, but wish to get EC in this manner, you may make your own arrangements to watch the film at your leisure, but must turn in the report by the same deadline. Each film is worth five extra credit points, to be applied against your lowest test score. The dates of these films will be determined after the start of class. Students may also earn extra credit points by listening to approved tapes from the Department of Comparative Literature’s Odyssey Through Literature radio series. These tapes are available in Room 6 Sparks, a student lab. Each report of this kind is also worth five points. Total extra credit points possible: 10.

Grading Scale:
 

93-100 A	90-92 A-
88-89 B+	83-87 B
80-82 B-	78-79 C+
70-77 C	60-69 D
0-59 F

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Please do your own work. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will be dealt with according to University policies.

ACCESSIBILITY: The Pennsylvania State University encourages qualified persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, in this course or have questions about physical access, please notify the instructor.

CAVEAT:

Any changes to the schedule below will be announced in class and via email. Students should check their email often for updates.
 
 

I. Out of the Mists of Time: The Roots of the Arthurian Legend

26 June -- Introduction to the Arthurian Legend

27 June -- Arthur in the Latin Chronicles and Early Welsh Tradition Wilhelm, 3-58

Culhwych and Olwen -- http://rodent.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/kilhwch.htm

Nennius -- http://rodent.lib.rochester.edu/cemlot/nennius.htm

29 June -- Wace, Roman de Brut; Layamon, Brut Wilhelm 95-119

30 June -- Andreas Capellanus, "Courtly Love;" C.S. Lewis, "On Courtly Love" Packet

3 July -- Chretien de Troyes, Lancelot Wilhelm, 121-162

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/Lancelot/

5 July -- Chretien, continued; Beroul, Tristan Wilhelm, 163-199; 225-276

6 July -- Beroul, continued

7 July -- The Rise of Sir Gawain, Nephew of Arthur Wilhelm, 365-398

10 July -- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Wilhelm, 399-465

Review Session -- Site TBA, 7pm

11 July -- Examination #1

II. The Flowering of Arthuriana in Medieval Europe

12 July -- Prose Merlin; Suite du Merlin Wilhelm, 305-64

13 July -- The Saga of the Mantle Wilhelm, 209-224

14 July -- Peredur, Son of Efrog Packet

17 July -- Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte D’Arthur Wilhelm, 529-576

http://www.celtic-twilight.com/malory/lemorte_menu.htm

19 July -- The German Arthurian Tradition Lecture

20 July -- Daniel von dem Blühenden Tal Packet

21 July -- Heinrich von dem Türlin, "The Grail Quest" from The Crown Packet

24 July -- Queste de Saint Graal Packet

Review Session -- Site TBA, 7pm

25 July -- Examination #2

III. Arthur Around the World: Rex Quondam Rexque Futurus

26 July -- Anonymous Byelorussian, Povest o Trishchane Packet

27 July-- Anonymous Hebrew, Melech Artus Packet

Extra Credit Film Opportunity, 7pm, Site TBA

28 July -- Lope Garcia de Salazar, El Libro de las bienandanzas e fortunas Packet

31 July -- Natsume Soseki, Kairo-Ko: A Dirge Packet

1 August -- Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Twain

2 August -- Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Twain

3 August -- Edwin Arlington Robinson, Tristram Website

http://www.hti.umich.edu/bin/ampo/ampo-idx.pl?type=HTML&rgn=TOTALPOEM&byte=112580337

-- Modern Arthurian Works: Spicer, Winters, Ciardi, Wilbur Packet

Review Session -- Site TBA, 7pm

4 August -- Final Examination