ENG4155 - Aspects of Chaucerian Language and Literature
Course content
This course offers an introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer, the greatest writer of the Middle English period. There is an emphasis on the synchronic study of his language, and comparison will be made with the structure of present-day English. A selection of texts will be studied in depth, and we shall place Chaucer’s works in a greater historical and cultural context and, more specifically, in the European literary tradition.
Learning outcome
After completing this course you will have:
- acquired a basic knowledge of the main characteristics of Chaucer’s English;
- learned how to analyse selected Chaucer texts and place them within the literary tradition and against the background of the cultural history of the period.
Admission
Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Admission to master programs in language, literature or LAP.
Recommended previous knowledge
The course requires a good proficiency in written and oral English. The course requires students to be able to analyse modern English language as taught in e.g. ENG1100 - English Grammar, an introduction and ENG1101 - English Phonetics and Intonation, An Introduction (discontinued) or similar courses.
Overlapping courses
This course overlaps with ENG2155 - Aspects of Chaucerian Language and Literature.
Teaching
Seminar, two hours per week for 14 weeks, 28 hours in all.
Students are expected to participate by contributing to discussions in class, handing in written work and presenting topics orally.
Attendance is an obligatory class requirement (80%).Additional absences must be justified (please contact the exam coordinator).
Students are required to hand in set assignments by a set date and get these approved by the course teacher before being allowed to sit for the final exam.
Examination
The final exam is of a 4-hour written exam.
All assignments handed in for evaluation must be accompanied by an obligatory statement concerning cheating: http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/hf/ilos/Oblig-statement-cheating.rtf.
Previous exams: http://www.uio.no/studier/emner/hf/ilos/ENG4155/eksamensoppgaver/eksamensoppgaver.xml
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Results will be found on the StudentWeb within three weeks after the exam.
Explanations and appeals
You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
A student may sit this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.
Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the next two semesters that the course is taught.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential if we are to provide the best possible education. As a student at the University of Oslo you will be asked to participate in various types of evaluation of our courses. Every time a course is given, we ask students to participate in mid-term evaluations, and periodically we ask them to participate in periodic evaluation of the course.