Syllabus
Obscurity in the Middle Ages seminar at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, 3 credits
A block seminar in November 10-12 taught by three medievalists:
Réka Forrai (CEU Budapest and Columbia University)
Alessandro Zironi (University of Bologna)
Lucie Doležalová (Institute of Greek and Latin Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles Uni.)
The seminar evolves around the notion of obscurity in medieval (most Latin and German) texts. We will read and analyze together the texts (always acompanied by their English translation) and discuss the transformation of theoretical approach to obscurity during the Middle Ages (especially in theories of translation), as well as its practical application by writers. Part of the seminar will be a public lecture by Charles Burnett (Warburg Institute, London). It is open for any student interested in the topic.
Syllabus
Thursday, November 10: 18-19:30 Introduction (Doležalová, Zironi, Forrai)
Friday, November 11: 9:30-11 Zironi: The Anglo-Saxon Riddles 11:15-12:45 Forrai: Obscurity in translation theories I: Late Antiquity 14:00-15:30 Charles Burnett: The Teaching and Learning of Astronomy and Astrology in the Middle Ages [public lecture] 15:45-17:15 Zironi: Charlemagne and the Schola Palatina (Paul the Deacon and Petrus Pisanus) 17:30-19:00 Forrai: Obscurity in translation theories II: Early Middle Ages
Saturday, November 12: 9:30-11 Zironi: The Old Norse skaldic poetry 11:15-12:45 Forrai: Obscurity in translation theories I: High Middle Ages 14:00-15:30 Zironi: The obscurity of Wolfram von Eschenbach 15:45-17:15 Forrai: Obscurity in translation theories I: Humanism 17:30-18:30 Conclusion (Doležalová, Zironi, Forrai)
Requirements to attend:
- active knowledge of English
- basic knowledge of Latin
Requirements to receive credit
- presence and active participation in classes
- either: brief (2,000-word) essay + attend 3 sessions of the conference "Obscuritas in the Middle Ages" (October 6-8, program attached) or: long (7,000/word) essay
Please, signal your interest in attending the seminar by email to Lucie Doležalová at lucie.dolezalova@ff.cuni.cz (use this email also for any other queries)
Annotation
A block seminar taught in English by three teachers:
Prof. Alessandro Zironi (Bologna) - German literature, paleography, codicology
Dr. Réka Forrai (Budapest/New York) - philosophy, Latin and Greek literature
Dr. Lucie Doležalová (Praha) - Latin literature, manuscripts
We will read and analzye together Latin texts and texts in English translation related to the topic of obscurity in the Middle Ages.
The main part of the teaching will take place on November 10 (evening), November 11 (the whole day) and November 12 (the whole day).