Discusses language as being (1) substance, and as such a reflection of the mind, and (2) an activity played out in oratory and the pattern of discourse. Examples from classical, medieval, and contemporary works are cited to illustrate the various concepts of language and to present a historical view of the literary and oral traditions. (DS)

The Latin literature of the Middle Ages is unlimited. One could pursue one kind only for a year. Colleges love it, the students light up, and so does the teacher. (Author)

This lesson introduces students to one of the most admired characterizations in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," the Wife of Bath. Students read Chaucer's description of the Wife in the "General Prologue" to consider how he represents her, both as the poet of "The Canterbury Tales" and as a character in his own poem,…

This selective bibliography, written as a guide to scholarship on Chaucer and related subjects, attempts to cover the major works and topics, with emphasis on work published in the 20th century. Omitted are school editions, short articles on minor points, popular and semi-popular books and articles, and unpublished doctoral dissertations. General…

The escapades and contributions of eight outstanding heroes and legendary heroic figures in Bulgarian history are introduced in this booklet. The document is part of an ethnic heritage teaching unit intended for use by elementary and secondary social studies classroom teachers as they develop and implement cultural awareness programs on Bulgaria.…

A selection of romances from medieval literature can be used successfully in undergraduate literature classes to trace the appearance and relevance of medieval themes, motifs, and characters in works of modern poetry, fiction, and film. New scholarly editions, historiographies, translations, and modernizations give both teachers and students more…

This bibliography of scholarship in Old and Middle English Literature (before 1525) attempts to cover selectively the major works and topics and to represent adequately the minor ones. English and American scholarship since 1965 is emphasized. For the Old English period, entries are under the following headings: Texts; Reference and General Works;…

This work provides students of English Literature with a selective guide to important writers and their works from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present. The first chapter presents reference materials on English literature in general; each entry includes complete bibliographic information. A chronological arrangement is used in chapters two…

Old French for undergraduates, as it is offered to students at the University of Minnesota, Morris, represents a break with tradition. A rationale for the program and course descriptions accentuate benefits accrued from undergraduate medieval studies. Syllabuses for French 80, The History of the Language; French 90, Directed Medieval Studies; and…

Although modern readers often find the interpretation of medieval literature difficult, they should be encouraged to use their imagination to resolve the dilemmas they encounter. Often, these are the same issues with which medieval audiences had to wrestle and which the poets intended to raise. W. Iser's and H. R. Jauss's principles of…

The teacher can sucessfully present Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" to 11th- and 12th-grade students by concentrating on "The Prologue" and one of the tales--e.g., "The Pardoner's Tale." The structure and plan of the entire work, however, should first be considered before its various parts can be fully understood.…

Difficulties in organizing and conducting an Old French course at the undergraduate level are commented on in this article. A section treating the basis of the difficulties focuses on content in literature and language areas. Time factors and traditional coursework accreditation are discussed. A general statement of problems mentions three areas…

This teacher's handbook is a guide to available paperback translations of primary material in the humanities field. The selections chosen to be included are recommended by the compiler as the best English translations available. The book is divided into sections chronologically: (1) ancient, to 450 A.D.; (2) medieval, 450-1500 A.D.; (3) early…

This two-section paper treating Old French on the undergraduate level and suggesting changes in the French curriculum criticizes the traditional, chronological approach to program articulation. Cormier focuses on three ways to restructure the current program. He proposes to: (1) teach genre courses rather than chronologically oriented courses, (2)…