Middle Ages History/Lit Reading List--give me your suggestions.

[at the beach]

We haven't completely decided yet on what we're doing next year, but one of our ideas is a Middle Ages study. I want it to be manageable. I'd like to know how any of you have approached a middle ages study along with what books you'd choose. I don't care if books originated in the middle ages or were written later but are about the middle ages. Probably would like to include some of both. I've looked at AO and am considering doing a modified Year 7. I'm also wondering what spine you'd choose and what you have your kids "do" as far as outlining, etc. I've looked at TTC and thought about getting the Middle Ages lectures, which would come to 2 lectures a week over a 36 week year. I have also reviewed some past threads on here. I own SWB's History of the Medieval World but it's dense, not sure I'd want to use it for 9th but maybe. Goodness, planning our own thing seems like a lot of work to me lately!:blushing:

 

Thanks!:001_smile:

[stephanier.1765]

:bigear: I still need to make my list too. I have some things I'm throwing in my head like Beowulf, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, Shakespeare, a King Arthur type of story but since nothing is written in stone I'm very interested in the replies you'll get to this thread.

 

ETA: I did just recently get all 3 of the TTC Middle Ages lectures (High, Late and Early) for $150 on eBay so that might be an option for you to look into when going to purchase them. I also own SWB's book so we really will be working the same stuff next year. :)

Edited April 17, 2011 by slr1765

[Ester Maria]

Whatever you do, include Dante: the most brilliant literary "synthesis" of all of medieval world, you will not find more emblematic medieval work than that. I would tie Middle Ages to Humanism, to Petrarca and Boccaccio (you might wish to do them in fragments, and preselected ones, as Boccaccio might be "problematic content" for many). I also suggest taking a look at medieval bestiaries, biographies of saints and Troubadour poetry.

I suggest Curtius for general literature overview. The book is a classic, albeit a bit outdated by now, but definitely useful to skim through and use it for topics which interest you more.

 

I especially recommend taking a lot at Arabic and Jewish middle ages (and conservation of Greek antiquity by Arabs) and "Aristotelian" theology they formed, especially if you study theology.

For history, one of the main experts on middle ages is Jacques Le Goff, I cannot recommend him enough and from my experience more mature teens find him very accessible. He wrote a lot of books, so it might be good to look into what, more specifically, you are interested in.

[at the beach]

:bigear: I still need to make my list too. I have some things I'm throwing in my head like Beowulf, Dante, Chaucer, Cervantes, Shakespeare, a King Arthur type of story but since nothing is written in stone I'm very interested in the replies you'll get to this thread.

 

ETA: I did just recently get all 3 of the TTC Middle Ages lectures (High, Late and Early) for $150 on eBay so that might be an option for you to look into when going to purchase them. I also own SWB's book so we really will be working the same stuff next year. :)

 

Thanks for the eBay suggestion.:001_smile: I wasn't totally decided about our history/lit yet, but we're leaning in this direction right now. Keep me posted on what you decide to do. What grade are you planning this for?

[at the beach]

Whatever you do, include Dante: the most brilliant literary "synthesis" of all of medieval world, you will not find more emblematic medieval work than that. I would tie Middle Ages to Humanism, to Petrarca and Boccaccio (you might wish to do them in fragments, and preselected ones, as Boccaccio might be "problematic content" for many). I also suggest taking a look at medieval bestiaries, biographies of saints and Troubadour poetry.

I suggest Curtius for general literature overview. The book is a classic, albeit a bit outdated by now, but definitely useful to skim through and use it for topics which interest you more.

 

I especially recommend taking a lot at Arabic and Jewish middle ages (and conservation of Greek antiquity by Arabs) and "Aristotelian" theology they formed, especially if you study theology.

For history, one of the main experts on middle ages is Jacques Le Goff, I cannot recommend him enough and from my experience more mature teens find him very accessible. He wrote a lot of books, so it might be good to look into what, more specifically, you are interested in.

 

Ester, Dante it is then.:D I was already able to take a look at some Troubadour poetry--so thank you for that suggestion, too. I will see about getting the lit book you suggest. Your suggestions are amazing as always. Thank you. Clearly, I am in over my head. LOL. But I am going to try. I hope I am up for the task of doing this.:001_unsure:

Edited April 18, 2011 by Violet

[Ester Maria]

Ester, Dante it is then.:D

:001_wub: Very glad to know it.

[stephanier.1765]

I suggest Curtius for general literature overview. The book is a classic, albeit a bit outdated by now, but definitely useful to skim through and use it for topics which interest you more.

 

 

Thanks for this suggestion. I loved the description on Amazon and it looks perfect for our use next year but unfortunately for me my library doesn't carry it and I hate to pay full price for something I haven't seen with my own eyes. Luckily for me though eBay had it for $5. Yay! Sold. I can't wait to see it and and I'll feel much better now about just using it for topics that interest us.

 

Thanks for the eBay suggestion.:001_smile: I wasn't totally decided about our history/lit yet, but we're leaning in this direction right now. Keep me posted on what you decide to do. What grade are you planning this for?

 

I'll definitely keep you posted. We can help each other even though I'm planning for 10th grade. It all washes out the same in the end. Working through ideas with someone else makes the job that much easier.

[Lori D.]

No good suggestion for the history portion, but literature we've enjoyed for Medieval/Renaissance (approx. 500AD to 1600AD):

 

- Beowulf (Heaney translation)

- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Tolkien translation)

- the Canterbury Tales (we selected 4 tales)

- Macbeth

- Hamlet

- Much Ado About Nothing (watched it)

- Midsummer Night's Dream (watched it)

- Taming of the Shrew (watched it)

 

Just for fun: "Farmer Giles of Ham", short story by Tolkien; medieval British setting, very humorous with lots of amusing Latin name references, etc.

 

 

Perhaps read the Wikipedia article on The Book of Kells, and then watch the beautifully visualized animated film "The Secret of Kells", a fictionalized origin for the book.

 

- Ivanhoe (late 1100s)

- The Sword in the Stone (King Arthur) (first of a four-book work on the boyhood of King Arthur; or the entire work, The Once and Future King -- 20th century author White based his version on Mallory's 15th century work, Le Morte d'Arthur)

 

 

Very LIGHT historical fiction, for fun "go along":

- The Shakespeare Stealer

- The Fighting Prince of Donegal (original title: Red Hugh, Prince of Donegal)

 

And while these light historical fiction works are set a little after the time frame you're looking for, the Japanese Samurai period (approx. 1200AD-1850AD) is VERY like the European Medieval period:

- The Sign of the Chrysanthemum

- The Samurai's Tale

 

 

Consider EXCERPTS or an abridged version of El Cid and/or Don Quixote.

 

How about a good documentary on Marco Polo; Muhammad and the rise of Islam; the Crusades; The Chola/Muslim/Moghul empires of medieval India; the Tang/Song/Ming dynasties of medieval China; etc.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Lori D.

[pianoplayer]

We loved Middle Ages literature so much we hated to move forward in time. :) Here's what we read, discussed, and wrote about:

 

Augustine: selections from Confessions and City of God

Beowulf

Thomas Aquinas: selections from Summa Theologica

Dante: The Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso)

The Song of Roland

“Gawain and the Green Knightâ€

Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

Machiavelli: The Prince

Shakespeare: selected sonnets; Hamlet; King John; Romeo and Juliet

Cervantes: Don Quixote

Milton: Paradise Lost; selected poems

[MamaT]

We are doing Middle Ages this year. It is too much to type out here, but I would be glad to send you the syllabus and schedule for my son's study (including the Great Books) if you like. Just pm me.

 

We used Speilvogel, The Medieval World, TC lectures, WEM, Invitation to the Classics, and Brightest Heaven of Invention among other things.

[at the beach]

We loved Middle Ages literature so much we hated to move forward in time. :) Here's what we read, discussed, and wrote about:

 

Augustine: selections from Confessions and City of God

Beowulf

Thomas Aquinas: selections from Summa Theologica

Dante: The Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso)

The Song of Roland

“Gawain and the Green Knightâ€

Chaucer: The Canterbury Tales

Machiavelli: The Prince

Shakespeare: selected sonnets; Hamlet; King John; Romeo and Juliet

Cervantes: Don Quixote

Milton: Paradise Lost; selected poems

 

Thank you!:001_smile: Great ideas. I have a feeling we will love this time period, too.

[at the beach]

We are doing Middle Ages this year. It is too much to type out here, but I would be glad to send you the syllabus and schedule for my son's study (including the Great Books) if you like. Just pm me.

 

We used Speilvogel, The Medieval World, TC lectures, WEM, Invitation to the Classics, and Brightest Heaven of Invention among other things.

 

Thanks! I'll send a pm with my email. :001_smile:

[In The Great White North]

We are doing Middle Ages this year. It is too much to type out here, but I would be glad to send you the syllabus and schedule for my son's study (including the Great Books) if you like. Just pm me.

 

 

Hi Tammy,

 

Your PM box is full but I would love to see your syllabus and schedule also, if I could.

[Chris in VA]

Have to put in a plug for Song of Roland. It was my son's favorite piece of Med lit. He was actually asked about it during his college interview. He liked it so much because, as a film major, he loves to be "shown" a story thru action, and this fit the bill. I actually liken it to a film script, in a way!

 

We also added in selections from Little Flowers of St. Francis to get feel for the monastics, and saw the movie, Brother Sun Sister Moon. It's dated, but lovely. Also reading Rule of St. Benedict for the influential monastic rule.