The Singers of Tales: Epic Poetry from the Classical Period to the Present

The course illuminates the central position of epic literature in the Western tradition, from the classical period until today. You study various ways to define and read the epics. Central themes are the hero, the antagonist, the woman, socialisation within the collective, and nature. The texts will be primarily from Latin, Greek and the Romance languages.
Tavla. Slices of Light, Stanza della Segnatura, Musei Vaticani; July 2019

Foto: Slices of Light, Stanza della Segnatura, Musei Vaticani; July 2019

On this course, you study the initial oral nature of the genre and its transition to a written tradition. The literature will be studied from cultural-historical and literary studies perspectives, taking relevant analytical methods as a point of departure, and the interplay between different epic traditions will be highlighted. Transnational and transcultural perspectives will be an important element for understanding the various epic texts. The course illuminates how the epic tradition developed and came to influence and change large parts of non-European literature.

This course is at an advanced level and a Bachelor's degree in the Humanities, Social Sciences or Law, and English 6 or equivalent is required to study the course.

Teaching takes place and in English. You can read more about this course below.

Welcome!

The overall document for a course is the course syllabus. The syllabus can be found in the menu on the right. In this description, we clarify how to complete the course in practice. The course description should provide good guidance, but is not comprehensive. Further clarifications in oral or written form are given by the teacher during the lessons. Do not hesitate to ask the teacher if questions would remain. To see which teachers teach the course, and for information about the schedule and examination, see further under "Schedule". Information about Literature Lists can be found under Course literature.


Teaching Format

This course consists of lectures and seminars. You prepare for each lesson by reading relevant parts of the course literature. Course material, in the form of, for example, teacher presentations or reflection questions about the literature, is continuously posted on our learning platform. There is also information about the course implementation and clear reading instructions. During the classes, you are expected to participate actively and contribute to the discussion.

After the course you should be able to:

  • describe the main features of the epic poem from antiquity to the present day and place these in a cultural context;
  • analyse epic texts intertextually, transnational and transculturally;
  • analyse texts based on various themes;
  • analyse texts based on various theoretical and methodological models; and
  • discuss the most important research traditions in the field of epic literature.


Assessment

The course is examined through written assignments. All assignments must be written and presented in your own words and based on your own reflections on the subject. Quotations from the reference literature that illustrate your reasoning must be stated correctly with quotation marks and the source. For general information about cheating and plagiarism, see also Stockholm University's rulebook on rules for examinations and guidelines for disciplinary matters at Stockholm University.

Examiner

Anthony Lappin

The schedule will be available no later than one month before the start of the course. We do not recommend print-outs as changes can occur. At the start of the course, your department will advise where you can find your schedule during the course.


Note that the course literature can be changed up to two months before the start of the course.


Course reports are displayed for the three most recent course instances.








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