Medieval Literature and Culture in a European Context - Period 1 STEM in Amsterdam Program Fall 2020 Semester - Amsterdam

In this interdisciplinary course, we study a selection of famous medieval narratives - stories told by jewels of architecture, provocative satires and tales of epic heroes, lovers and saints. We will focus on best sellers in French, English, Dutch, Italian and Latin (in translation), such as the legends around Charlemagne, Arthurian heroes and the Holy Grail, and controversial books like the Roman de la Rose, Dante´s Commedia and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Throughout the course, we will relate these artistic creations to the cultural and political European contexts in which they were produced and debated. We will also devote attention to material aspects, such as the transmission in manuscripts, early printed books, visual arts and architecture. The course includes an excursion to the manuscript department of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in the Hague. Lectures will be alternated with seminars in which we will discuss issues introduced in the lectures and the literature to be examined for the assignments and final exam.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) awards credits based on the ECTS system. Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.