SoSe 23: PS-Introduction to Cultural Studies: That’s Not Very Historically Accurate: Pop Medievalism
Claudia Lorraine Rumson
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Ah, the Middle Ages! Era of beautiful princesses, knights in shining armour, filthy streets crammed with self-flagellating priests and wailing plague victims, the occasional good old-fashioned witch burning. But wait… most witch trials took place long after the Middle Ages ended! And for that matter, Medieval personal hygiene standards may not have been all that bad… and did knights and princesses even dress like that? Why do so many people create art about the Middle Ages that just seems to be… wrong?
In this course, we will be consuming a range of Medievalist media from the nineteenth century to today. We will be asking questions like: Why have so many artists in history been so fascinated by the Middle Ages? What information does using a Medieval setting convey to readers and viewers? Where did mainstream ideas about the Middle Ages come from? And if they’re not very historically accurate, then why do people keep using them? How do we determine historical accuracy and why does it matter to people — or doesn’t it?
Through the lens of Medievalism, we will practice academic reading, critical analysis, and academic writing. Course material will be made available on Blackboard prior to the start of the course. Full credit can be obtained on the basis of regular participation in class discussions, informal writing assignments, and the eventual submission of a research paper of approximately 2000 words.
close14 Class schedule
Regular appointments