Love, Science, & Magic

Catalog description

What is love? Medieval authors attempted to answer this question by drawing on knowledge from all spheres. In this course we’ll read scientific and literary works as we consider medieval views on the nature of lovesickness, the psychology of desire, the physics of love at first sight, the power of demons, the magical properties of crystals, and more. From Arthurian Romance to lyric poetry and bawdy short stories, we’ll see how medieval authors incorporated elements from both science and magic into their writings. Taught in English with additional assignments in Italian for students of Italian. Offered on a 2-3 year rotation.