A survey of the Arthurian legends from the earliest Latin histories through selected Welsh, French and German Romances to the English-language classic, Morte d’Arthur of Malory. Emphasis will be on reading the primary sources (in translation).

Modern culture retains a fascination with the middle ages. In many cases, the Mediaeval world or more often ideas about the Mediaeval world, feature in modern entertainment, politics, or literature. This course explores the ways the middle ages have been interpreted and reinterpreted in various aspects of modern culture such as role playing games, videogames, television, literature, and iconography.

In this age of constant global travel, it is easy both to forget how much more complicated travel was in earlier periods, and to assume that there was very little of it. In the Mediaeval world, people travelled for work as traders, craftsmen and warriors; they travelled for their spirit as pilgrims; they travelled as migrants and refugees. This course will introduce students to the variety of people on the move in Mediaeval Eurasia, their motives, and the means they used to travel.

Barbarians have caught the modern popular imagination, and they appear to be much the same: hairy warriors who destroyed civilization. The late antique period (c.300–c.600) was a time of transition and the meetings of several cultures. This course examines the so-called barbarians who entered and soon came to rule the former Roman provinces of western Europe in this period. Our particular focus is the cultural, religious, artistic, and socio-economic aspects of barbarian peoples, and how these intersected with the civilization of Rome.

Everyone thinks they know who the Vikings were. Like many aspects of the middle ages popular in modern life, there is much that is inaccurate about this picture of the Vikings. This course explores how Vikings lived—what sorts of things they did for a living, how they amused and entertained themselves, and what they thought—and moves on to consider their rituals of death and their notions of the afterlife. It will be based both on reading a variety of texts produced by and about the Vikings, as well as looking at various objects they produced that have survived.

Using an interdisciplinary lens, this course explores the experiences of Mediaeval women. Some attention will be given to subjects such as the idea of the Mediaeval feminine, holiness and femininity, and appropriate feminine behaviour. At the same time, we will look at the social and cultural roles of women in society for instance the gendered ideals of marriage, guild structures, and childrearing.

The idea of the ‘middle ages’ is pervasive in Western thought, but only some of what is ‘traditional’ actually happened. This course introduces various interpretations, constrictions, and re-creations. Our analysis will draw on literary texts and their various interdisciplinary interpretations and applications.

Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE), king of Macedon, was one of the most successful military campaigners the world has ever seen. By the time he was thirty, he had established a vast empire stretching from Greece in the west to India in the east. Fantastic stories and legends about Alexander the Great circulated throughout the medieval world, from Iceland to Iran and from Ethiopia to England. In this course, we explore what different representations of the same figure can tell us about the range of medieval cultures. Through the use of digital tools, students and the instructor work together to explore this rich material. We trace the transmission of Alexander’s legend using digital maps. We compare different versions of the same story using text analysis tools. And we curate a small selection of the lavishly-illustrated manuscripts of the Alexander Romance in a digital exhibition.

A senior-level special topics seminar in Mediaeval Studies as determined by the instructor.

Comprising an immersion in Mediaeval Latin prose texts, this course gives students a deepened acquaintance with the linguistic features of Mediaeval Latin, as well as with its literature, and generic and stylistic conventions. A solid foundation in basic Latin morphology, syntax and vocabulary is assumed.

This course explores mediaeval biblical commentary and the various approaches taken by the exegetes to uncover the secrets of the sacred page, for instance through the four senses of Scripture: history, allegory, tropology, and anagogy.

An introduction to musical theory and practice in the middle ages: sacred and secular music, monophony and polyphony, performers and patrons, notation and orality. No prior background in music or ability to read music is required.

This course studies selections from the rich variety of Mediaeval Latin poetry, rhymed as well as rhythmic, and provides a survey of prosody and metrics. A solid foundation in basic Latin morphology, syntax and vocabulary is assumed.

This course explores ideas of gender and sexuality in the mediaeval world. In particular it examines the links between the two throughout history, the social religious, and literary ideas of marriage and reproduction. Through close readings of primary sources including literature, canon law, penitentials, sermons, and medical treatises, students will explore the boundaries between the worlds of biology and culture.

Numbers and their uses often appear to be absolute fact: a thousand dollars is exactly that, not more or less; and if you weigh fifty kilos, that’s what you weigh. But the use and meaning of numbers—for recording and counting dates, money, weights, distances, and myriad other functions—is not, in fact, devoid of cultural, historical, and political context. Mediaeval Europe provided a bewildering range of calendric systems, currencies, systems of measurement, and numerical symbolism was much used in art, music, religious thought, and literature. This course provides an introduction to the various uses of numbers in this period across different regions and cultural contexts.

This course examines the most salient aspects of mediaeval manuscript culture. We will study, first, how the parchment for books was folded, pricked, ruled and bound, and second, what scripts were employed in the different codices. We will also examine the various types of books made in the Middle Ages and the challenges they pose to modern scholars.

An introduction to the discipline of theology as taught in the mediaeval schools. Building on a basic knowledge of Christian scriptures and of philosophical argument, this course will offer an organic exposition of mediaeval theology, together with an introduction into the scientific method of theological investigation as practised in the Middle ages.

Mediaeval jurisprudence combines the high technical quality of Roman law with the requirements of Christianity. The seminar provides an overview of the development of mediaeval learned jurisprudence; select texts from Roman and canon law, with their glosses, are read in order to explore more specifically the methods and concerns of mediaeval jurists.

Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details at https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities…. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

In this course, students will have an opportunity to take a graduate Latin seminar at the Centre for Medieval Studies, one of the world’s premier research institutions in the field. The instructor, the SMC program coordinator, and the student will determine a method of assessment appropriate for an undergraduate student while still pushing the student’s boundaries to be able to participate in a graduate seminar along with MA and PhD students. Course forms are available from the SMC Principal's Office at smc.programs@utoronto.ca. Completed forms should be submitted by the first day of classes in September.

In this course, students will have an opportunity to take a graduate seminar at the Centre for Medieval Studies, one of the world’s premier research institutions in the field. Depending on the nature of the seminar, the instructor, the SMC program coordinator, and the student will determine a method of assessment appropriate for an undergraduate student while still pushing the student’s boundaries to be able to participate in weekly discussions in a graduate seminar along with MA and PhD students. Course forms are available from the SMC Principal's Office, smc.programs@utoronto.ca.

The course is designed as a practicum in the transcription of scripts from the late Roman Empire to the twelfth century. The goal is to offer students the opportunity to participate in a graduate course in manuscript studies where comparable offerings at the undergraduate level are unavailable.

Study of Latin Scripts from 1200 to 1600, with attention to background of Gothic writing, physical characteristics of manuscripts, library practices and bibliographical resources. The goal is to offer students the opportunity to participate in a graduate course in manuscript studies where comparable offerings at the undergraduate level are unavailable.

A fourth-year seminar on a topic to be determined annually. Refer to the St. Michael's College website for more information.

A fourth-year seminar on a topic to be determined annually. Refer to the St. Michael's College website for more information.

Introduction to Old Norse language and literature, focusing on basic instruction in Old Norse grammar and short readings from poetic and prose texts. The goal is to offer students the opportunity to participate in a graduate course in medieval languages where comparable offerings at the undergraduate level are unavailable.

An independent research project to be proposed by the student and supervised by a member of faculty affiliated with the Mediaeval Studies Program. A full proposal including a course description, working bibliography, marking scheme, and approval from your academic supervisor must be submitted for approval by the Program Coordinator and Director. More information and application forms are available at https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/smc-ind-study-form or from the SMC Principal's Office, smc.programs@utoronto.ca. Completed forms must be submitted to the Principal's Office by the first day of classes in September/May for F courses, or January/July for S courses. Meeting times are determined in consultation with your supervisor, and may be in person or online as appropriate. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

This seminar is devoted to the in-depth study of one or a number of related Mediaeval Latin text(s) in their linguistic, historical, and intellectual context. Readings in the original Latin will be discussed and commented upon by students.

This course focuses on the skills and tools necessary for graduate research in mediaeval studies. It introduces palaeography, codicology, and diplomatics, as well as other lexical and conceptual tools needed for dealing with mediaeval primary sources.

A scholarly project chosen by the student in consultation with a faculty member and approved by the Program Coordinator. A full proposal including a course description, working bibliography, marking scheme, and approval from your academic supervisor must be submitted for approval by the Program Coordinator and Director. More information and application forms are available at https://stmikes.utoronto.ca/smc-ind-study-form or from the SMC Principal's Office, smc.programs@utoronto.ca. Completed forms must be submitted to the Principal's Office by the first day of classes in September/May for F courses, or January/July for S courses. Meeting times are determined in consultation with your supervisor, and may be in person or online as appropriate. The project will be accompanied by a research seminar component. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.