ENG 344B - The English Epic

Prerequisite, ENG 256. Epic poems, originating in pre-modern oral cultures, are long narrative works of vast scope that describe the extraordinary deeds of legendary heroes. In the western tradition, epic has generally been regarded as the biggest and baddest of all the literary genres. In this course, students will explore what all the fuss is about by delving into two epics written in English during the early modern period: Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene” (1596) and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” (1667). This course can be used to satisfy the pre-1850 distribution requirement for English majors Letter grade with Pass/No Pass option. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits