Proseminar: Middle English Instructional Texts
Fr. 11.00-13.00
Geb. 23.21 Raum U1.68                                                         Beginn: 18.10.2002
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Besides narration, description, exposition, and argumentation, instruction is usually taken as the fifth basic text type in modern text grammars (e.g. Werlich 1976: §50). This text type can manifest itself in various text forms, such as instructions proper from a subjective point of view or directions, rules, regulations and statutes from an objective point of view (§ 191).

In Middle English literature, the text type instruction comprises a large variety of prose and verse texts produced for various occasions and with different intentions. The early Middle English Poema Morale and Ancrene Riwle belong as well to this text type as later medieval manuals, such as Richard Mannyng of Brunne's Handlyng Synne, various sermon collections, treatises on hunting or other books of advice, and 15th-century cookery books.

The overall aim of this seminar will be the production of a reader with selections from Middle English instructional texts prepared and edited by the participants of the course. The booklet will be available in printed form, as a downloadable file, and perhaps as a multimedia application. Each text will be accompanied by a translation, some notes, an introduction and commentary, and the relevant bibliographical reference.

In order to deal with as many texts as possible, the plan of this seminar is open and will be laid out in detail in the first lesson on 16 October when we will select the specimens to be published from a list of the most important Middle English instructional text.

Preferably, you will work in teams or small groups, although individual contributions are always welcome. Students interested in this project should compile their own list of instructional texts and gather information on the text form in general.

In the first unit on 18 Oct 2002 we will select the texts to be discussed. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to attend this introductory lesson. The seminar will be closed then. Students who miss this first lesson cannot attend the course.

You can put your name down on the list of participants by contacting
holteir@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de

Moreover, all students will be invited to the BSCW-Server.
bscw.uni-duesseldorf.de
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Voraussetzungen: Introduction to English Medieval Studies -
                           Part I: General und Part II: Middle English
Leistungsnachweis: Abschlußprüfung (mündlich), Referat oder Hausarbeit
Veranstaltungstyp: Wahlpflicht M.A./Prom.; SII: B1,2.

Der Inhalt der Lehrveranstaltung ist geeignet für die Zwischenprüfung

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©  Rainer Holtei
last updated
20.09.2009

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