DESCRIPTION
As the name of this course suggests, its main concern will be writing by and about women from around the 11th to the 17th century. The medieval part of the seminar will cover predominantly texts in Middle English, with one short introductory lesson on Old English material. Familiarity with these languages is not necessary, since full or partial translations will be provided. The main aim of this part will be the analysis and comparison of various ways women are depicted by male authors across different genres and how they describe their lives in their own words. We will look at various ideals and ideas of femininity presented in these works, as well as ways in which they are subverted. An added bonus may be an increased ease with material in Middle English by the end of the course. The early modern part of the seminar focuses on early modern women writers across different genres and the depiction of women in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. We will cover professional lives of women with Isabella Whitney’s lamentations, religious ruminations by Rachel Speght, and private and public concerns of Elizabeth I. As such, the main discourse regarding women participating in public life will be discussed. Following that, we will focus on the representation of women in early modern drama. We will discuss three plays by William Shakespeare and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster. In Othello, our focus will be on the character of Emilia and her plea for gender equality; in Macbeth, we will discuss different feminist interpretations of Lady Macbeth and in Antony and Cleopatra, we will focus on the complexity of the eponymous heroine. In John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi we will direct our attention to Webster’s criticism of the attempts to limit female sexuality.
ASSESSMENT
In order to obtain credit [zápočet], students must regularly submit a short feedback on weekly readings (200-300 words) with maximum of three missed submissions. Active participation in class is expected as well. If they choose the option of an exam [zkouška], the students will have to submit an essay of at least 4,500 words on a topic agreed beforehand with one of the instructors. The essay must reference at least 5 secondary sources. The deadline for submitting the abstracts for this essay is January 10, 2025.
As the name of this course suggests, its main concern will be writing by and about women from around the 11th to the 17th century. The medieval part of the seminar will cover predominantly texts in Middle English, with one short introductory lesson on Old English material. Familiarity with these languages is not necessary, since full or partial translations will be provided. The main aim of this part will be the analysis and comparison of various ways women are depicted by male authors across different genres and how they describe their lives in their own words. We will look at various ideals and ideas of femininity presented in these works, as well as ways in which they are subverted. An added bonus may be an increased ease with material in Middle English by the end of the course. The early modern part of the seminar focuses on early modern women writers across different genres and the depiction of women in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. We will cover professional lives of women with Isabella Whitney’s lamentations, religious ruminations by Rachel Speght, and private and public concerns of Elizabeth I. As such, the main discourse regarding women participating in public life will be discussed. Following that, we will focus on the representation of women in early modern drama. We will discuss three plays by William Shakespeare and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster. In Othello, our focus will be on the character of Emilia and her plea for gender equality; in Macbeth, we will discuss different feminist interpretations of Lady Macbeth and in Antony and Cleopatra, we will focus on the complexity of the eponymous heroine. In John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi we will direct our attention to Webster’s criticism of the attempts to limit female sexuality.
ASSESSMENT
In order to obtain credit [zápočet], students must regularly submit a short feedback on weekly readings (200-300 words) with maximum of three missed submissions. Active participation in class is expected as well. If they choose the option of an exam [zkouška], the students will have to submit an essay of at least 4,500 words on a topic agreed beforehand with one of the instructors. The essay must reference at least 5 secondary sources. The deadline for submitting the abstracts for this essay is January 10, 2025.
- Teacher: Dominika Kecsöová
- Teacher: Michaela Válková