English Literature: Fantasy MLitt
Early Modern Mythmaking ENGLIT5100
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Critical Studies
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
- Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
- Available to Visiting Students: No
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course introduces students to the various ways in which classical mythology was absorbed and rewritten in the English literature of the medieval and early modern period. Students will study translations and looser adaptations of myths gleaned from authors such as Homer, Ovid, Virgil and Seneca, and will explore how and why their myths were rewritten for different audiences (e.g. for men and women) and across diverse forms of English literature (poetry, drama, prose).
Timetable
2 hour seminar, weekly across 10 weeks
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
The standard assessments for this course are:
■ One mid-term essay (20%) 1,000 words OR one ten-minute oral presentation (20%)
■ One end of term essay (80%) 4,000 words
If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:
■ Recorded presentation or one-to-one presentation / discussion/Q&A with staff (where presentation would normally be in class) as alternative to presentation.
■ There are no alternatives to the essays, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions).
Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor. 
Course Aims
This course aims to:
- Introduce students to key debates about translation and use of the classics in the period.
- Expose them to a wide range of translations and adaptations from various classical authors, and across a range of English genres.
- Explore the treatment of certain key myths (e.g. the Troy story) to help develop student's independent research interests.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Reflect critically on the place of classical mythology in the literature of the medieval and/or early modern period.
- Identify, develop, and defend a distinct research area/interest related to the medieval and/or early modern adaptation of myth.
- Write clearly, concisely, and with apposite historical and literary judgement on a range of primary texts.
-Be able to communicate their ideas effectively and succinctly to their peers.