French Language and Culture in Medieval Britain (SMLM238)

30 credits

This module will invite you to study the language history and literary culture of French in Britain from the 12^th to the 15^th centuries, a vibrant topic at the heart of current research concerns across Medieval Studies. French was used across the social spectrum in medieval Britain. It was the main language of courtly culture, but was also used by merchants and clergy, and anyone with social aspirations, creating one of the most fascinating multilingual situations in Europe and embedding Britain within a wider Francophone sphere reaching from Ireland to the Levant. You will have the opportunity to look at a range of literary and non-literary materials, ranging from Arthurian romance, poetry and Chaucer to household accounts and pedagogical works. Prior knowledge of French is NOT required.