White, week 2

Apologies for the tardiness of this week’s post. One of the challenges we face when discussing White is that he represents something completely different from what we are accustomed to find in the aesthetics of a modern novel. He is intentionally, defiantly anachronistic; he does not shy away from didactic discourse; he combines different generic traditions in unexpected ways; and he engages in an eccentric literary critical debate with Malory.

So what do we do with him? How do we talk about this book?

 

White and Perceval Discussion #3

As I mentioned in a previous post, we will also be beginning our reading of T.H. White’s The Once and Future King next week. For Monday’s meeting, please read part one: “The Sword in the Stone.”

Both readings this week are about knightly education. Later portions of White are very closely related to Malory, but this part seems to resonate more with the Perceval. Discuss.

(If you haven’t responded to the previous two Perceval discussion prompts, please do so.)

 

Perceval Discussion #2

We’ll make today’s discussion an open thread. What interested you about this text, particularly in comparison to our romances?

 

Perceval Discussion #1

If you haven’t read it yet, please see the post immediately below this one regarding tonight’s class. For those of you who enjoyed the Perceval, have no fear: we will take time to discuss it next week.

In our discussions of Lancelot and Yvain, we have talked about the extent to which they are meta-texts, or essentially chivalric romances about chivalric romance. The Perceval seems to take this even further, as the early parts of the text depend upon the reader’s knowledge of the genre to understand the irony.

Comment on this metatextual aspect of the Perceval in relation to a specific scene or moment from the first half of the text. Also, feel free to post other ideas for discussion.

 

Update: No Class Tonight

I’m making an executive decision here. I know that some of you commute, and I don’t want you to have to dodge tree limbs and flooded roads to get to class. Therefore, I am canceling class tonight.

However, so that we will not fall behind, I am proposing this alternative: each of the next three days (Monday through Wednesday), I will post discussion questions on Perceval. I would like each of you to respond in some way to each of these questions. In this way, we can plan to have a shortened discussion next week on Perceval, and we will also move on to T. H. White.

So, watch this space this afternoon for discussion question #1.

Late edit: everyone please e-mail me to let me know that you have seen this post. Thanks.

 

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Most of us have probably read this poem before, though perhaps you read a different translation. This means that we can be more selective and less comprehensive in our discussion.

And let’s put to one side any discussion of the Green Lantern, the Green Arrow, or the Jolly Green Giant.

 

The Knight of the Cart

Here’s your open thread for this week.

Also, please be prepared to discuss your tentative seminar-paper topic this week. Try to frame it as a brief discussion topic; the class may be able to help you to generate ideas.

 

Chrétien

Here is your open discussion thread on The Knight with the Lion, or Yvain.

 

Geoffrey of Monmouth

As John Cleese would say, “and now for something completely different.” I’ll look forward to your comments and suggestions for discussion about Geoffrey.

 

Malory and Geoffrey

Here’s your discussion thread for the last part of Malory and/or the first part of Geoffrey’s Historia.