1399.23 - Prose and Verse in Old Norse Legendary Sagas (BA)

1399.23

Prose and Verse in Old Norse Legendary Sagas (BA)

10

First 90 ECTS of bachelor’s degree in Faroese. Other students with similar prerequisites can apply for individual course participation.

Students will acquire basic knowledge of the fornaldarsögur (Old Icelandic legendary sagas), focusing on the development of the genre from oral tradition, manuscript transmission and generic conventions. There will be a focus on the structure of prosimetrum (interplay of prose and verse). Students will develop their knowledge of how to analyse Old Icelandic sagas, how to engage critically with saga scholarship and essay writing.

The fornaldarsögur (Old Icelandic legendary sagas) will be presented as a genre. Prosimetrum as a literary structure will be examined, chiefly through reading and analysing fornaldarsögur. Students will also engage with critical literature on the fornaldarsögur and on prosimetrum across the saga genre in in general. Students will contribute to a group glossary of terminology during the course and give presentations on individual sagas and secondary literature.

Lectures, class discussion, group work and student presentations. Two shorter take-home written assignments during the course.

At the end of this course, students will be able to: • Use terminology associated with the study of Old Icelandic sagas • Analyse and assess the fornaldarsögur as a genre • Analyse prosimetric saga structure • Discuss the oral origins of saga literature • Write about the subject applying academic conventions. • Survey saga scholarship as relating to the fornaldarsögur with an informed approach.

Take-home written assignment (two weeks) on a set topic.

External

7-

Fornaldarsögur in translation. The bibliography will be circulated before the beginning of the course.

Helen Frances Leslie-Jacobsen