Pamela Barrie

During the late 12th and 13th centuries, the Norse settlers of Iceland created a body of prose narratives rivaling the modern novel in psychological penetration and sheer narrative craft: the famous Sagas of the Icelanders. They also preserved a treasure trove of Nordic myths in verse and prose versions known as the Eddas; nearly all we know about Odin, Thor, and Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods, derives from a few Icelandic manuscripts, along with the familiar tales of the death of Baldr, Sigurd the Dragon slayer, and the valkyrie Brunhild. This course engages students in an exploration of the literary, mythic, and historic world of the medieval Icelanders, including a reading of the outlaw sagas of Gisli and Grettir the Strong, and the Eddic lays that inspired the creations of Wagner, William Morris, and J.R.R. Tolkien. Coursework includes two take-home exams with a mix of short answers and essays, and a class presentation and term paper on suggested topics.

'Far from being a monoculture, the middle ages were shaped by cross-cultural contacts?from the monks who assimilated the mythologies of their pagan converts into Christian culture, to the merchants who carried new ideas along with their trade goods across vast stretches of central Asia. This course explores a variety of medieval texts that share the element of movement across borders: adventures in otherworldly realms, missions to distant corners of the globe, and mystical journeys that share remarkably similar experiences of the divine, though from faiths supposedly in conflict. Readings are across ethnicities, religions, and genders, including the lays of Marie de France, the travel memoirs of Arab diplomat Ibn Fadlan, and the visionary writings of English anchoress Julian of Norwich and Sufi poet Farid ud-Din Attar. In addition to two shorter essays on the readings, students do independent research of an in-depth paper on an aspect of medieval culture and literature reflecting the focus of the course.'