Fall 2008 Courses

English 303-01: Chaucer & Medieval Storytelling (Krier)

T/TH 1:20-2:50pm OLRI 301

This course studies the narrative and poetic craft of Geoffrey Chaucer through his comic story-collection The Canterbury Tales and his wry, lyrical dream visions. A focus on the craft of storytelling means that we'll study some narrative theory and one or two modern works of fiction as well. Why does it matter to tell a tale in one genre rather than another? How does weaving them together in a story-collection make something new of individual tales? How does Chaucer think of character, of narrator, of plot, of language, of comedy, of jokes? How did he think out creative possibilities about these things from his reading in other kinds of fiction?

Readings will include Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The Parliament of Fowls, The Book of the Duchess, The House of Fame; to clarify our questions about storytelling, we'll read some 20th-century work, perhaps Italo Calvino's Cosmicomics and his lectures on fiction.

There will be a mid-term test and final exam, and three essays. There are no prerequisites for this course; no prior experience necessary. Students from all disciplines are welcome, as are fiction writers thinking about their craft.

*First day attendance required.* This course fulfills the English-major requirement for a pre-1700 course.

Fall 2008 Course Listings