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)