GRADUATE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION READING LIST SELECTED BY THE GRADUATE FACULTY
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The degree candidate is responsible for having read all of the following works:
WORKS IN TRANSLATION FROM THE OLD ENGLISH:
“The Battle of Maldon” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
Beowulf (transl. Roy Liuzza)
“Dream of the Rood” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
“The Ruin” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
“The Seafarer” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
“The Wanderer” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
“The Wife’s Lament” (transl. S.A.J. Bradley)
WORKS IN MIDDLE ENGLISH:
Geoffrey Chaucer. Book of the Duchess; Canterbury Tales; House of Fame; Troilus and Criseyde
Everyman
John Gower. Confessio Amantis
The Harley Lyrics
William Langland. Piers Plowman(B Text)
Thomas Malory. Morte D’Arthur
Pearl
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Orfeo
The Wakefield Master. The Second Shepherd’s Play; Noah and His Sons
One Middle English Romance. (Suggested:King Horn, Havelok the Dane, Athelston, or The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell)
WORKS IN TRANSLATION FROM THE OLD FRENCH:
Chretien de Troyes. Erec and Enide; Lancelot, or The Knight of the Cart; The Story of the Grail; Yvain, or The Knight of the Lion
Marie de France. Selections from The Lais: “Prologue,”“Guigemar,”“Lanval,”“Bisclavret,”“Eliduc”
Song of Roland
A candidate may also submit a list of readings to supplement, but not replace, the readings from the core list above. The supplementary list should be submitted for approval with the declaration of intent to take the comprehensive examination form.
*Rev. 1 August 2014