UMass Amherst Medieval Studies

Hark! The first Medieval Studies seminar of the year is happening TODAY at 5:30! UNH's Samantha Katz Seal is giving a lecture entitled "Beyond Whiteness: Theorizing a Christian Race in Late Medieval England" It will be held over Zoom (Meeting ID: 960 6528 3797; Passcode: 285711) https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/96065283797?pwd=S0hiMmlOWEhGVTZ5NWlHVzJUZUw1UT09

Happy first day of classes! Pictured: Grandes Chroniques de France F.277r, Teaching in Paris

Still looking for another class for the Fall? Interested in the Middle Ages? We're reviving out introductory course on the Middle Ages for next semester, and everyone is invited to enroll, taught by our wonderful director, Michael Papio!
Italian Studies 297D, Intro. to the Middle Ages, TuTh 10-11:15, taught in English

Dantedì, on March 25, is the anniversary of the great Dante Alighieri's death. Celebrate 700 years with an online lecture and discussion by U. of Texas Austin professor Guy Raffa presented by the Italian Program at Mount Holyoke!

March 25 at 4:30PM EST

Here is the Zoom link for the event: https://mtholyoke.zoom.us/j/99044088838?pwd=TWZXRVRmWUVxemJCa1ZVclUrZVUwdz09
Meeting ID: 990 4408 8838

Fun fact! The Beowulf manuscript was one of the earliest in a transition from the more traditional uncial insular script to Carolingian. You can see the influence of some older letter forms in d, f, g(ᵹ), s(ſ), and w(ƿ). There are also examples of letters that no longer exist in English (though we should bring them back, I’d say), such as þ, ð, and æ.

According to Einhard, Charlemagne’s biographer, Charlemagne kept tablets and blanks under his pillow so that he could try writing in his free time, but, as he started late in life, he was never very successful with it.

Pictured: Einhard writing the biography, Grandes Chronique de France, MS Français 2813

Next Class Spotlight is Professor Birk's class on Medieval history!

>

Prof. Joshua Birk, Smith College, History 225 – Making of the Medieval World, 1000–1350 – MW 1:40-2:55PM

From the High Middle Ages through the 15th century. Topics include cathedrals and universities, struggles between popes and emperors, pilgrimage and popular religion, the Crusades and Crusader kingdoms, heresy and the Inquisition, chivalry and Arthurian romance, the expansion and consolidation of Europe, and the Black Death and its aftermath.

Fun fact!

Hildegard von Bingen, the twelfth-century abbess, is one of the earliest known female composers of music, but she also created one of the earliest known constructed languages, Lingua Ignota, which may have been used to help interpret the divine visions she is said to have received.

Class Spotlight! These spotlights will showcase different kinds of Medieval Studies classes you can take through the Five Colleges.

Here we have Jessica Barr's class on Mystical Literature!

>

Prof. Jessica Barr, Comparative Literature 340 – Mystical Literature – MW 2:30-3:45PM

This class will explore mystical literature of a variety of religious traditions. Reading these texts as literary expressions of union or contact with the transcendent, we will analyze the ways in which they seek to capture what is usually considered to be an inexpressible, non-verbal experience. Readings will draw from the mystical traditions of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. We will also read one twentieth-century account of a psychedelic experience.

Welcome to UMass Amherst Medieval Studies! Here, we will post information about classes, seminars, facts, updates, and other fun things!