Reference no: EM133256753

Assignment:

Discussion on Medieval and Renaissance Literature

We will focus on Europe or the next couple of weeks. Many common stories that are continued to be retold today--think or Robin Hood or King Arthur--trace their roots back to the Medieval period. And the Renaissance gives us many rich ideas, both in story and philosophical form.

Requirements:

Part I

Answer the following prompts in your discussion post: (please be sure and state which texts you read)

1. For Medieval you read at least romance with its ideas on chivalry and one story that reflected the religious life of society of the time. What did you think of the texts your read? Anything that you could relate to or did the characters seem odd or did they do unexpected things? What did you like or find interesting?
2. Have you ever watched a Shakespeare play before? What 2 clips for Shakespeare did you watch? Name something about the characters, the language, or the acting that you either found interesting or that stood out to you in any way.
3. For the Renaissance you read a section of one early novel and then some philosophical texts. Again what did you like or find interesting? Were you able to engage with the ideas presented or did they seem quite unusual to you?

Part II

After you have posted your answers to the above questions, respond to at least 2 classmates' posts. Did you have similar reactions or quite different reactions to the texts you read?

Readings Medieval to Renaissance Literature:

• This week we will look at works from the Medieval and Renaissance period. The Renaissance as noted earth lier overlaps with the late Medieval period.
• I will introduce the readings briefly in Medieval ideas on how to read literature and Renaissance Ideas on Reading Literature
• As always don't forget to read the introduction to the historical period and the authors in the anthology.

Medieval Ages:

From Anthology Part 2 (Medieval Ages)

Read one of the following:

• Canterbury Tales: Tale of the Wife of Bath
• Decameron: Day the Third (Ninth Story)
• Divine Comedy: Inferno chapter 1 and choose 1 other chapter from Inferno

Read one of the following:

• Lais of Marie de France: Lai of Sir Launfal
• Lancelot, Knight of the Cart: Part 1
• Song of the Cid: first 20 (XX) sections
• Song of Roland from beginning to the end of stanza CXIV

Renaissance:

1. The following are some famous speeches from from Shakespeare. Choose at least 2 to watch:

• Shylock from Merchant of Venice (act 3 scene 1): Prick us do we not bleed? This refers to how Jews are treated in Shakespeare's time. This is redone in 2020 for by Christopher Austin referring to treatment of African Americans.
• Macbeth (act 5 scene 5): Out, Out, Brief Candle
• Romeo and Juliet (act 2 scene 2): Balcony Scene ah wondrous love
• King Richard II (act 3 scene 2): Tell Sad Stories of the Death of Kings watch first 2 minutes or so
• In Much Ado About Nothing watch Beatrice fall in love with Benedict and Benedict fall in love with Beatrice
• Marc Anthony in Julius Caesar (act 3 scene 2): Countrymen lend me your ears

And for fun here is a clip from Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country that contains several Shakespeare quotes including the famous "Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!" from Julius Caesar.

2. From Anthology Part 3 Renaissance

Read one of the following:

• Don Quixote:
• Gargantua and Pantagruel: Chapter through XXIII

Read one of the following:

• The Prince by Machiavelli: chapters XV through XVII
• Utopia: through first section (you will encounter a row of ****)
• Candide by Voltaire: Parts I and II (in Anthology Part 4