English

Medieval Families (MA Seminar Literature) (Open to World Literature)

Dienstag, 17.03.2026

“The happy family is both a myth of happiness, of where and how happiness takes place, and a powerful legislative device, a way of distributing time, energy, and resources,” writes Sara Ahmed. This MA seminar will explore and theorise the varied roles families (happy and otherwise) play in medieval literature. Reading widely across a variety of genres, we will focus in part on how genre might shape the representation of the family in particular works. Topics for discussion will include family tensions in saints’ lives; family romances; the bereaved parent in Pearl; Margery Kempe’s attention (or inattention?) to her own family in her autobiographical Book; foster families; historical letters between medieval families; and representations of the holy family (Mary, Joseph, God, Jesus) in medieval drama. We will critically interrogate what a family is (in the Middle Ages and today), exploring a variety of secondary literature on this topic, and we will also think about the family in the context of queer characters’ experiences. Some seminars will draw on medievalist adaptation or will look outwards to compare medieval English literature with sources from other areas of the world.

Dozierende(r):	Dr. Hannah Elizabeth Piercy
17.03.2026:	14:15 - 16:00
Ort:	F 007, Seminarraum Unitobler Lerchenweg 32-36

Sie können diese Veranstaltung in ihrer persönlichen Agenda speichern. In Ihrer persönlichen Veranstaltungsübersicht finden Sie alle relevanten Detailinformationen zu Ihren gespeicherten Veranstaltungen zum Ausdrucken.