ENGL 314 - From Manuscript to Print: The History of the Book in Europe

FDR: HL
Credits: 4
Planned Offering: Spring 2011 and alternate years

Prerequisite: Junior or senior majors, or sophomores with ENGL 299.What is the difference between the book as a physical object and the information it contains? How were medieval books assembled and illuminated? Just how revolutionary was the print revolution? In what ways did Shakespeare’s plays change between playhouse and printing house, and which versions should we read? Does the book have a future in the digital age? Questions such as these frame this course’s investigation of the history of the book in the West. In pursuing these and other important issues about books and print culture, students not only understand the book as object but also deepen their appreciation and comprehension of literary texts in all periods. Class activities include making paper, setting type, pulling on printing presses, and handling period texts. We examine manuscripts and facsimiles from the medieval to early modern eras; study varied modern editions of literary texts; travel to research libraries to view famous works; and delve into Leyburn Library’s Special Collections to unearth some of its rarer holdings. Students acquire knowledge about the cultural and historical context of literature; analyze various literary and codicological forms; and learn to read with attention and imagination. Students respond critically to the course material orally and in writing, and at the end of the term create an online, public exhibition of select texts in Leyburn’s archives.Jirsa.