english 343

On Tuesday and Thursday, we will be talking about the relationship between texts, especially Beowulf and the Bible, and the idea of the human (and of the animal). Here’s a look at the manuscript of Beowulf, which is fully digitized on the British Library website (see bottom of page for link to all the pages). As you can see, it’s written on parchment–animal skin–which is why this abused manuscript will outlast every paperback book you own.

The participation log and reading response assignments are now on Connect under Course Content > Assignments and Resources! Go forth and start logging/responding (or at least read about what you’re supposed to do).

Also on Connect, this week’s and next week’s supplemental reading. Note that it’s riddle 26, not riddle 60, for Tuesday.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend!

Here’s the video of Simpson’s lecture on indigenous nationhood at SFU in Vancouver. This is not mandatory viewing, but will be interesting to those of you who enjoyed her essay.

Dear students,

Welcome to English 343: Eco-Beowulf. I strongly suggest that you read Seamus Heaney’s very enjoyable translation of Beowulf before term begins. We will spend much of the course going back to select passages, but you will be glad to have read it already. Note that this translation is available in its own edition (this one), and is also included in the Norton Anthology of English Literature, vol. A (editions 8 and 9).

All best,

Dr. Pareles