Medieval Studies

This course explores the art and architecture of the ancient and medieval eras, including study of the cultures of the Mediterranean, Near East, and northern Europe. Students will master a chronological history of representation and investigate the relationship between works of art and the cultures in which they were produced.

Offered: fall semester.

This course examines the history of ten centuries of Islamic art and architecture both chronologically and thematically. It begins with a study of medieval Islamic art of the Near East and Mediterranean, examining major themes and regional variations. Study will then shift to select monuments of Islamic art from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The focus may include architecture and manuscript painting, with some attention also to metalwork, pottery, and textiles. Issues considered may include: Islamic aesthetic attitudes, definitions of Islamic art, adaptations of a late antique artistic vocabulary, cross-cultural influence, architecture and ritual, and ideology and style in manuscript painting.

Offered: spring semester in even numbered years.

This class examines the history of illustrated books from late antiquity through the early modern period, from early Christian Rome to Mughal India. Manuscripts and early printed books will be considered in terms of their original function and owners as well as how they have been used, collected, and appreciated up to the present day. The main concerns of the course will be the way in which the images in the manuscripts convey meaning in ways complementary to and beyond the text, reflect the interests of their patrons and the stylistic and economic concerns of their artists, and act as evidence of the devotional, social, and political contexts in which the books were produced.

This course examines the art produced from the fourth through the fourteenth centuries, from late antiquity through the end of the Gothic era. Painting, architecture, and sculpture will be the main concern, with some attention also to ivories, metalwork, and textiles. Works of art will be studied in their religious, political, social, and stylistic contexts, and topics may include the adaptation of late Roman art for Christian patrons, iconoclasm, monastic art, pilgrimage, manuscript painting and ideology, and the dissemination of architectural style.

Offered: fall semester in even-numbered years.

The art of the Italian Renaissance from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries is examined in this course. Painting, sculpture and architecture of major artistic centers such as Florence, Rome and Venice and the diverse social structure of these autonomous city-states will be the main focus. Major figures such as Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Michelangelo, Cellini, and Titian are examined in a variety of political, social, and religious contexts. Issues concerning the paragone, the changing status of the artist, artist's biographies and the construction of identity, wealth, patronage both private and public, women, and the process by which art is made and changing philosophies of conservation are some of the topics discussed.

Offered: fall semester in even-numbered years.

A course primarily based on student discussion, reading, argumentation, and presentation. Topics will vary and might include: Rivalry in the Renaissance: Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo; Bernini and the Visual Arts; Symbolism and the 1890s; Figurative Art of the 1940s-1980s. The colloquium will introduce students to various research methods, the scholarship related to the particular topic of the course. Students will become familiar with the variety of sources available and learn to access, assess and utilize them in a critical fashion.

Signature of instructor required for registration.

Course may be repeated.

Offered: every year.

Topics vary. Reading and discussion of primary texts and scholarship pertinent to a special topic, such as Michelangelo, decorative ensembles of the 16th and 17th centuries, Symbolism and the 1890s, and Abstract Art. When possible, seminar topics are linked to a special exhibition on view in New York City. Seminars involve an in-depth study of the historiography and the scholarship related to a particular topic resulting in the ability to recognize and employ a variety of art historical methodologies and theories and contribute original research to the field through a final research paper or project.

Offered: every year.

Taught in four two-credit modules, this course maps Anglo-American literary history from the medieval period to the twentieth century. This essential experience grounds English majors and minors in key texts as well as in major periods, transitions, shifts, and trends along with influences between and among them. Conducted primarily in lecture and discussion form to facilitate students' reading of difficult texts, the course involves extensive reading of primary works from each period and select twentieth-century texts set in dialogue with them. Assessment is primarily through written exams.

Offered: annually, 20 A/B in the spring, 21 A/B in the fall).

Prerequisite: ENGL+9.

Topics may include Anglo-Saxon ("Old English") language, Middle English, African American Vernacular English, dialect studies, global Englishes.

Course may be repeated.

Offered: in alternate spring semesters.

Prerequisite: ENGL+20A, 20B, 21A, 21B.

Topics may include Anglo-Saxon literature and culture, the impact of literacy on the fictions and poetry of medieval Britain, the medieval romance, medieval literature and spirituality, medieval and early Renaissance drama, Renaissance poetry.

Course may be repeated.

Offered: in alternate fall semesters.

Prerequisite: Prerequisites: ENGL 250, ENGL 251, ENGL 252 and ENGL 253.

A study of the development of European civilization from the decline of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance. Emphasizes political development from the Germanic monarchies to the emergence of dynastic states, feudalism, Christian philosophy, and the development of the church, including economic, social, and cultural trends.

Offered: Alternate Years.

A survey of English history from the Roman invasion to Queen Anne. Traces the development of feudalism, the monarchy, parliament, religious conflict, and the pre-industrial economy. Describes the historical background to early English literature.

Offered: spring semester in alternate years.

A broad survey of the history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam in the early seventh century C.E. to the 19th century. Emphasizes major transformations in the region's history during this period, including the mission of Muhammad, the early Islamic conquests, the formation of classical Islamic culture and society, the demise of the universal empire and the rise of regional states in the 10th century, the impact of the Crusades and the Mongol invasions, and the reconsolidation of political and social order under Ottoman and Safavid rule.

Offered: spring semester.

The courses in the Western Humanities sequence offer rich possibilities for study. While the time frame for each course (Classical period, Middle Ages, Renaissance to Enlightenment, Modernity) is a constant, the emphasis on specific themes and materials will be determined by the faculty who currently teach the course. Please check the course announcements each semester.

Offered: spring semester in even-numbered years.

The courses in the Comparative Humanities group offer rich possibilities for study. While the cultural and geographical frame for each course is a constant (Islam/Middle East, Africa/African-American, Asia, Latin America) is a constant, the emphasis on specific themes and materials will be determined by the faculty who currently teach the course. Please check the course announcements each semester.

Offered: once every four years.

The courses in the Comparative Humanities group offer rich possibilities for study. While the cultural and geographical frame for each course (Islam/Middle East, Africa/African-American, Asia, Latin America) is constant, the emphasis on specific themes and materials will be determined by the faculty who currently teach the course. Please check the course announcements each semester.

Offered: once every four years.

A survey of the history of philosophy from pre-Socratic Greek thought to medieval scholasticism. Particular attention is given to works of Plato and Aristotle. The views of pre-Socratics, Stoics, Epicureans, Augustine, and Aquinas are also discussed.

Offered: fall semester.

This course traces the history of Christianity from the break up of the Roman Empire to the reformations of the sixteenth century (Protestant and Catholic). Important topics include: the rise of the Papacy, the break with Byzantine Christianity, monasticism, sacred space, the medieval "discovery of the self," the mendicant orders (Franciscans and Dominicans), Eucharistic theology, the origins of the university, natural theology, late medieval mysticism, and the break up of Christendom in the sixteenth century. "Popular" religious practices, such as cults of the saints, miracles, and the unique artistic genius of the medieval cathedral are placed in a broader context. Fruitful Christian coexistence as well as violent conflict with Islam and Judaism are also considered, as are the multiplicity of "heretical" Christianities (including Catharism and Waldensians).

Offered: spring semester in even-numbered years.

This course investigates and compares the relgious origins of the ideas of crusade and jihad. In both cases a devotional practice became militarized; we will discuss how these practices became militarized both theologically and practically. We consider the contested spaces of the Mediterranean, including Jerusalem, that fostered the delvelopment of these forms of religious warfare. We will then examine how these ideas became transformed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in movements and events as varied as romanticism, the Red Cross, colonialism, World War I, Pan-Arabism, and Wahhabism. All of these reimagined, idealized, and represented the medieval world (Latin or Arabic) so as to promote radically different agendas.

Offered: fall semester in even-numbered years.

This course considers one of the most influential authors in the Western world. We will take the entire spiritual journey from hell to heaven and of Dante's Divine Comedy and consider it in Dante's medieval intellectual, literary and political context. In addition to the Comedy, we read selections from Dante's On Monarchy and The New Life. Other primary texts include selections from Aquinas, Bonaventure, Guido Cavalcanti, Boccaccio's Life of Dante, and Dino Compagni's Chronicle of Florence, along with other contemporary chronicles as we examine medieval Florence and the intellectual background of the Comedy. This course is a seminar emphasizing class discussion and written research assignments of different lengths. This counts as an Italian "Language in Context" course. The course employs a student-generated "geographic database" as a research tool. This database of primary texts and images allows the students to rapidly immerse themselves in Dante's contemporary Florence and better understand how Dante used the particular details of his surroundings to build poetic image and metaphor.

An in-depth study of a selected religious topic pertaining to South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian cultures, considered either comparatively or specific to one of the cultures. Topics vary from year to year. Uses a variety of methodologies, including history, anthropology, art history, and textual studies.

May be repeated for credit as topic changes.

Offered: Offering to be determined.

An intermediate course in the study of Comparative Religion. This course introduces students to the comparative method in the study of religion through the consideration of a topical aspect of religion across Eastern and Western religions. Past topics have included pilgrimage, marriage in world religions, and devotional literature in world religions.

May be repeated for credit as topic changes.

Offered: Offering to be determined.

An introduction to mysticism through comparative and phenomenological study of mystical traditions in five major world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Examines and compares primary texts, practices, major figures, and significant historical developments in mysticism within and among these five religions. Specific themes and topics covered may vary.

Course may be repeated.

Offered: spring semester in odd-numbered years.

A study of selected plays from one or more periods of dramatic achievement, emphasizing their theatrical qualities and staging. Periods studied and specific emphases vary when offered.

Signature of instructor required for registration.

May be repeated for credit as topic changes.

Offered: spring semester in even-numbered years.

Prerequisite: THEA 100 or THEA 101 and permission of instructor.

An introduction to Roman history, covering the rise of Rome, Roman imperialism, social stresses, the transition from Republic to Empire, imperial civilization, the rise of Christianity, and the decline of the Roman Empire.

Offered: Offering varies.

A survey of Western thought from the earliest Greek thinkers through the Renaissance, with emphasis upon the rise of a spirit of free inquiry, the growth of humanism and secularism, and debates between science and religion, tradition and innovation. Considered in their social contexts are the pre-Socratics, the Sophists, Plato and Aristotle, Stoics and Epicureans, early Christians, and representatives of medieval scholasticism and Renaissance humanism.

Offered: spring semester in odd-numbered years.

A study of the development of English from Anglo-Saxon to its present status as a "global" language. The development of English is placed within the framing social, political and economic contexts of its speakers. May also examine the historical development of theories attempting to explain English, its styles, dialects, and literatures.

Offered: in alternate spring semesters.

An introduction to Roman history, covering the rise of Rome, Roman imperialism, social stresses, the transition from Republic to Empire, imperial civilization, the rise of Christianity, and the decline of the Roman Empire. Offering varies.

Same as: CLAS 232.

A survey of Western thought from the earliest Greek thinkers through the Renaissance, with emphasis upon the rise of a spirit of free inquiry, the growth of humanism and secularism, and debates between science and religion; tradition and innovation. Considered in their social contexts are the Presocratics, the sophists, Plato and Aristotle, Hellenistic schools, Lucretius and Cicero, early Christians, and representatives of medieval scholasticism and Renaissance humanism. For continuation, see HIST 337.

Same as: CLAS 336.

Offered: spring semester in odd-numbered years.

An overview of Western art music from ancient Greece to the music of Bach and Handel. We will study a core repertoire of music in its historical contexts and explore debates of what these pieces may have sounded like when they were first performed. Students will also learn about the field of music history and the tools available for music research at Drew. At least one class trip to a performance of music before 1750 will be required.

Offered: fall semester in alternate years.

Prerequisite: MUS 103.

This course traces the history of Christianity from the death of Jesus to the break up of the Roman empire (seventh century) and the rise of Islam. Important theological questions (such as: who is Jesus [Christology]; what does he do [soteriology]; the nature of God; why is there evil in the world [theodicy]) are considered and placed in the context of ancient Roman history and philosophy. These considerations help us to understand the meaning of Christian martyrdom, the effect of Constantine's conversion, the origins of Christian worship and sacred space (Constantine's St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, in particular), ecclesiastical and clerical orders (bishops and priests, for example), monasticism, the doctrine of "original sin," and apocalyptic expectations. The appeal of alternate Christianities such as Gnosticism and Arianism and the decline of Classical religion are also considered. Offered fall semester in even-numbered years.

Offered: fall semester in even-numbered years.

A broad introduction to the world's second largest religion. Topics covered include a brief historical overview of the life and mission of the Prophet Muhammad, the rise of the early Islamic community, and the formation of Islamic civilization. Additional units focus on the nature and structure of the Qur'an, the role of Islamic law, aspects of ritual practice, and expressions of Muslim spirituality. Relying heavily on primary textual sources in translation, students consider issues such as the relationship between religion and politics, women and society, and themes of unity and variety in the Islamic tradition.

Offered: fall semester.

An introduction to the history, literature, and practices of the religions of India, with major focus on the foundational traditions ofVedism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and the later emergence of Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. While providing an overview ofeach tradition, the course emphasizes the dynamic interactions among them that have shaped the development ofreligious and cultural traditions on the subcontinent and their civilizational significance. Primary texts in translation and visual materials are central to the course study.

Offered: fall semester.

This course begins by examining the origins of reformation in the history of Christianity. We then trace some of the key questions that become central to the fifteenth- and sixteenth- century reformers. Topics will include: the nature, language and availability of the Bible; papal power; devotional practices (prayer books, indulgences, and the Eucharist); and grace and free will. We shall examine the critiques of these practices and theologies by reformers such as Wycliffe, Hus, Erasmus, Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin. We shall also examine the Catholic reformation, the Council of Trent and the origins of Roman Catholicism. Other topics include the rise of the modern state, witchcraft, Inquisition, and women as reformers and objects of reform. The final portion of the course will focus on the English Reformation and work directly with Drew's 16th- and 17th- century collection of English prayer books in the Maser Collection. The course will have an examination, a short essay on on.