Studies in Medieval Literature (324-0-20)
Topic
Magic, Monsters, and the Macabre: The Bizarre Midd
Instructors
Lily Clara Stewart
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L04: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
People in the middle ages were fascinated by the strange, the morbid, and the otherworldly. The supernatural and the macabre were pervasive in their art and literature, from stories about werewolves, ghosts, and the walking dead; to tales of deceptive demons and paranormal creatures; to visions of the afterlife and meditations on death. Medieval people used these themes to express and explore anxieties about the unknown, the frightening, and the ‘other.' They imagined monsters at the boundaries of their social worlds, employed demons to explain their dangerous desires, and painted dancing skeletons and graphic images of hell in public spaces. At the same time, they also used the bizarre to construct and reflect on their own identities. This class will be broken into four units that explore magic, monsters, and the macabre in the middle ages: 1. Animality, Monstrosity, and Transformation; 2. Demons, Golems, and Jinn; 3. Magic and Necromancy; and 4. Death and Crossing Over. Each unit will feature selections of medieval literature and art, as well works of media that interpret the middle ages (Monty Python and the Holy Grail; The Seventh Seal) or illuminate the endurance of these themes in the modern world (Michael Jackson's Thriller music video, episodes of Stranger Things, scenes from The Matrix). Drawing on secondary readings and short lectures, we will explore this material from a range of critical and theoretical perspectives, including queer theory, disability theory, and race theory. Students will each produce a creative final project that draws on medieval sources and modern media to explore how the strange, the supernatural, and the macabre can be used to circumscribe and demonize particular groups; or how they can be used radically and subversively by marginalized communities as they work to thrive in strange, hostile worlds.
Class Attributes
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area