Literature and Culture: the Celtic World

Catalog description

Literature and Culture: The Celtic World explores the transformation of the ancient Celtic cultures of Ireland and Wales (circa 400 BC 400 AD) into the modern cultures of Ireland and Wales, as revealed through literature, art, history, material culture, political developments, and related areas. The class would investigate the dynamic nature of culture the ways in which it evolves and reinvents itself over time. For example, early in the course students would study The Tain, a text written in the early Medieval period but preserving ancient stories from an Irish oral tradition dealing with the mythological hero Cuchullain. They would explore the historical and cultural background for the creation of this text. Later in the course students would read plays by W. B. Yeats that retell the Cuchullain stories for an Irish audience of the 20th century, and study the modern history and cultural background relevant to this text. Class discussions and formal written assignments (quizzes, papers, exams) will draw upon student interests and experiences - including knowledge gained through previous Core courses and through major and minor programs.