# Past Courses **Spring 2022** **Celtic 101.** *Irish Heroic Saga.* Joseph Nagy. MW 12-1:15 plus Discussion Section TBA A study of the ways in which the hero is represented in early Irish sources, especially in the saga literature. The texts reflect the ideology and concerns of a society which had been converted to Christianity, but continued to draw on its Indo-European and Celtic heritage. The biographies of the Ulster hero, Cú Chulainn, of his divine father, Lug, and of certain king-heroes are studied in depth. The wisdom literature, and archaeological and historical evidence will be taken into account. **Irish 133r.** *Intermediate Modern Irish.* 9-10:15am. MTuWTh A continuation of Irish 132, developing students' fluency in spoken and written Irish. As our knowledge of the language expands, we venture into storytelling, journal writing and writing and performing short skits. Internet, audio and video resources complement the study of grammar and select prose texts. **Irish 201r.** *Continuing Old Irish.* Joseph Nagy. MW 3-4:15 Further grammatical study, with continued reading of saga texts. **Irish 208.** *Readings in Early Modern Irish.* Natasha Sumner. MW 1:30-2:45 Readings in selected texts. Recommended prep: Irish 160r or permission of the instructor **Welsh 227.** *Welsh Bardic Poetry.* Catherine McKenna. Tu 12-2:45 Readings from the *hengerdd*, the *beirdd y tywysogion* and the *beirdd yr uchelwyr*; consideration of the social and political contexts of their poetry, its forms, and its relationship to other medieval European poetic traditions. **Gen Ed 1081.** *The Celts: People or Construct?* Catherine McKenna. TuTh 10:30-11:45 plus Discussion Section TBA We are exposed every day to terms referring to ethnic groups, and we tend to accept these terms uncritically, assuming that we know what they mean and to whom they refer. These labels help to shape our sense of ourselves, of others, and of ourselves in relation to others. Yet the ethnic identities associated with such terms are in fact ambiguous and malleable, constructed of a shifting array of elements, including genetics, shared history, language, religion, economy, political institutions, music, architecture, and foodways. Ethnic descriptors encode attributes, either positive or negative, with which people want to associate themselves or others. So, in order to understand the claims implicit in the use of an ethnic label, we need to evaluate the bases for assigning it and who allows a people the identity they claim for themselves. This course takes as a case study the idea of the “Celt,” a term thrown around so freely that it sometimes seems to be as much a brand as an ethnonym. In our readings and a series of hands on exercises, we explore the ways in which the history, languages, material culture, and cultural mythology of Celtic peoples are used both to construct and to deconstruct Celtic identity. Then we examine the cultural and political forces that have motivated these constructions and deconstructions. Studying what “Celt” has meant over the course of the past 2500 years, you will develop tools for analyzing the bases of ethnicity claimed by a people or attributed to them by others. And by examining the ways in which the name “Celt” has been both adopted as a badge of honor and assigned as a way of dismissing conquered peoples, you will better understand the ways in which ethnic labels manipulate attitudes toward the groups with which they are associated. **Fall 2021** **Celtic 111.** *Shapeshifting and Identity in Celtic Traditions.* Catherine McKenna. TuTh 10:30-11:45 plus Discussion Section TBA In Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Breton narratives, humans turn into other kinds of animal (and animals into humans) for many different reasons—as punishment, as escape, as expression of their inner nature, among others. These stories are written into medieval manuscripts, recorded from oral storytellers in the twentieth century, recounted in contemporary film, and embedded in popular music. Is there a stable boundary between the animal and human worlds? We explore shapeshifting stories in all of these modes and media, reading them against a background of texts about animals and humans from their own times and ours. All of our readings are in English or English translation: no knowledge of a Celtic language is required. **Celtic 188.** *Songs of the Highlander.* Natasha Sumner. MW 10:30-11:45 An introduction to Scottish Gaelic poetry of the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries, this course explores poets’ preoccupations and creative impulses in a time of regular conflict and drastic sociopolitical change. Critical issues we will consider include, but are not limited to, the role(s) of the poet in society, tradition and innovation, orality, and intertextuality. All texts will be read in English translation. **Celtic 240.** *Pursuing Diarmaid and Gráinne: Texts and Contexts.* Natasha Sumner. M 12-2:45 Traditions about the love triangle among the aging military leader Fionn mac Cumhaill, his younger subordinate Diarmaid Ua Duibhne, and Gráinne, the daughter of Irish high king Cormac mac Airt, date as far back as the tenth century in the written corpus of Gaelic literature. The protagonists may have their roots in early Celtic deities, and a handful of medieval texts reference the events of the tale. As the story spread across the Gaelic world, it took on new forms. The most celebrated version, the lengthy prose text Tóruigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne (The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne), is thought to have taken shape in Ireland in the fourteenth century, around the same time as four lengthy poetic lays exploring aspects of the tradition emerged in Ireland and Scotland. The story also circulated orally, and the collected body of folklore about Diarmaid and Gráinne’s elopement and Fionn’s vindictive rage exceeds two hundred tales, songs, and anecdotes. Evidence of the story’s continued popularity can be found in the over fifty creative adaptations that have come into being since the mid-nineteenth century, including poems, short stories, novels, dramas, a graphic novel, and a feature film. This graduate seminar will examine the development of this captivating body of narrative, following our tragic lovers as they wend their way through multiple forms and genres, and across seas and oceans, over the past c.1200 years. Situating our readings within the broader literary record, we will explore forms, themes, and parallels, and consider critical issues such as orality and intertextuality. Some translation will be required, but this is not primarily a reading course. Prerequisites: Participants should be competent in at least one Gaelic language (modern or medieval). **Folklore and Mythology 111.** *Folklore of Food*. Joseph Nagy. MW 12-1:15 plus Discussion Section TBA A comparative survey of diverse folkloric and mythological traditions concerning food--the getting, growing, preparing, distributing, sharing, and disposing of food, and the varieties of food themselves. "Foodways" have been a rich repository of lore, imagination, and creativity since the beginning of human history, and perhaps no other necessity for our existence has been put to symbolic use more frequently and consistently than food. We will explore what food is and "means" in our lives, cultures, and collective identities. **Irish 132.** *Introduction to Modern Irish.* MTuWTh 9am-10:15am 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. Meets 4 times a week. **Irish 200.** *Introductory Old Irish.* Joseph Nagy. MW 3-4:15 An introduction to the language of the eighth and ninth centuries, with elementary readings in prose texts. **Scottish Gaelic 131r.** *Intermediate Scottish Gaelic.* MTuWTh 10:30-11:45 Direct continuation of the fall term course Scottish Gaelic 130. **Welsh 226r.** *Readings in Middle Welsh Prose.* Catherine McKenna. Tu 12-2:45 An exploration of the enormous variety of medieval Welsh prose literature: selections from tales and romances, chronicles, laws, and lore.