Fall 2023

Visit Celtic courses at the Harvard Course Catalog

 

 

Fall 2023 Courses Department of Celtic Languages & Literatures Joseph F. Nagy (Chair), Catherine McKenna (DGS), Jerry Hunter (Visiting Prof), Brian Frykenberg, Natasha Sumner (on leave)

Celtic 137. Celtic Mythology. Joseph F. Nagy. Lecture MW 12:00-1:15; Discussion F 12:00-1:15. Medieval Irish and Welsh texts reflect underlying story patterns, characters, and motifs that are rooted in pre-Christian tradition and in some cases witnessed in the archaeological evidence and in the ethnographic writings of ancient Greek and Roman authors. We will examine these texts in translation and track the reconstruction of the “pagan past” undertaken by medieval Celtic writers, as well as the new mythologies they developed to suit the evolving ideological agenda of their world, from ca 600 to 1500 CE.

Celtic 185. Transatlantic Celts: Narratives of Loss and Belonging. Jerry Hunter. TuTh 10:30-11:45. Over the course of the past five hundred years, millions of people from the countries traditionally thought of as Celtic—Ireland, Scotland, Wales— migrated to North America, with smaller numbers settling in South America. Driven by hardship and attracted by the promise of a better life, immigrants who had thought of themselves as the oppressed in ‘the old country’ found themselves in the role of colonizers. We study stories, songs, essays and poetry by these new Americans, exploring topics such as the construction of identity, the transplantation and adaptation of cultural traditions, engagement with the abolitionist movement and the interpretation of experiences brought by war.

Irish 132. Introduction to Modern Irish. Catherine McKenna (with Graham O’Toole). TWThF 9-10:15. Irish is the first official language of Ireland, and it has been officially recognized in Northern Ireland since 1998. Today Irish is spoken not only in the western ‘Gaeltachtaí’ (Irish-speaking regions), but also in cities like Dublin and Belfast. There is Irish-language television, film, radio, and print journalism, and many wonderful poets and fiction writers continue into the present a literary tradition that dates back to the sixth century.

The course introduces students to Irish as it is spoken and written today. Class work is participatory, and includes conversational role play and games as well as grammar study and drills. Audio and audiovisual resources reinforce pronunciation and aural comprehension. Songs, proverbs, and poems are an integral part of the course, introducing students to the vibrant oral and literary tradition of Gaelic Ireland.

Irish 160r. Advanced Modern Irish. Brian Frykenberg. TuTh 10:30-11:45. Geared to the interests and aptitudes of the participants, this course enhances students' confidence in using Irish as a medium of oral and written communication and introduces them to the Gaelic literary tradition.

Irish 200. Introduction to Old Irish. Joseph F. Nagy. MW 4:30-5:45. An introduction to the language of the eighth and ninth centuries, with elementary readings in prose texts.

Welsh 229. From Manuscript to Book: Welsh Prose c. 1450--c.1750. Jerry Hunter. TuTh 3:00-4:15. Readings in late medieval and early modern Welsh prose, including texts produced by a continuing manuscript culture and ones disseminated by means of the new medium – print. The effects of the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Counter-Reformation and new humanist learning on an evolving literary tradition will be considered. Some knowledge of Middle or Modern Welsh required.

Welsh 226r. Readings in Middle Welsh Prose. Catherine McKenna. Th 12:00-2:30. An exploration of the enormous variety of medieval Welsh prose literature: selections from tales and romances, chronicles, laws, and lore.