ENGL 279 - King Arthur the Round Table & the Grail

5 CR

Explores the Celtic and medieval origins of the King Arthur legends in relation to modern retellings of the stories. Students discuss what the stories meant in their original contexts and what they mean to modern readers.

Recommended: ENGL 101 or ENGL 201 or a literature course in the 100 series.
Course Outcomes

Trace the development of the Arthurian legends from their beginnings to the present
Relate the development of the legends to their historical and cultural contexts, including social, political, religious, and philosophical issues
Identify the literary conventions that shaped the stories at various stages of development
Analyze the interrelationships among plot, character, theme, structure, and meaning in Arthurian texts
Compare and contrast the medieval Christian interpretations of the grail with modern “esoteric,” “Celtic,” and other, wilder interpretations
Write short, analytical papers that express and support an interpretive idea about some aspect of the reading

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