Saints, Monsters, and Animals: A Syllabus

by KARL STEEL

Thanks much to everyone who participated in my post "Syllabus Building as Academic Party Game," particularly Anne Harris for emailing me a copy of her fascinating syllabus on postcoloniality, medieval monsters, and transcultural encounters. Per the request of one of our anonymous readers, here is a copy of my syllabus. Enjoy if you can!

If you click through, and make your way past all the assignments and (sadly? necessary) spelling out of rights, duties, and penalties, on pages 3 and 4 you can see what I've come up with. There are fewer monsters than the seminar name might suggest; and, as for medieval animals, there is so much we won't discuss: where are fables? where heraldry? where is the economic centrality of animals? where hunting? butchery? where are the battles between Christmas and Lent in which armies of sausage combat armies of fish? For a taste:

And after those with shields, there came the archers with their bows:
Wild ducks and dried corned beef and sides of mutton now appeared,
And roasted haunches of fresh pork and entire legs of ham.
And then behind all these, there came the mounted cavaliers.

Slices of roast beef and cuts of suckling pigs and kids
Appeared there, leaping all about and uttering loud cries.
And next a whole armed guard--the many fritters made of cheese,
Which spur a man to using good red wine in large supplies.

And then there came a troop replete with old nobility--
A swarm of very fine pheasants, peacocks, proud in gay allure,
Arrived, accoutered brightly, with their banners held up high,
All wearing curious armor and impressive garniture.

Their arms were most elaborate, well wrought and very fine;
As helmets they wore stewpots of pure copper, or tureens,
And as their shields had kettles, frying pans and kitchen pots.
No such majestic, wealthy camp is owned by drab sardines!
(from Juan Ruiz, The Book of True Love stanzas 1084-87).

And where, oh where, the parodic wills? Sadly absent.

Please file your complaints below, and thanks much for your invaluable assistance in constructing this.