This is a beginning course which addresses the earliest written forms of the English language (up to c. 1000). Knowledge of Old English is indispensable for the study of literary (and other) texts from all phases of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, especially the study of poetry and early narrative texts. The principles introduced in this course will also help students acquire an understanding of the special features of modern English, and will provide tools that are useful for learning other languages. Moreover, knowledge of Old English is fundamental to the study of the History of the English Language, the Cultural History of the British Isles (including early Gender Studies), and many areas of Textual Studies, including manuscript study and the study of word origins.

Texts:

• Richard Marsden. The Cambridge Old English Reader (Paperback). Cambridge University Press. [0521456126]
• Michael Lapidge. The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England (Paperback). Blackwell Publishing. [0631224920]