Old Norse Prose

Undergraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

The aim of this course is to broaden students' knowledge of Old Norse literature through the study of a wide selection of texts. In addition, students are expected to familiarize themselves with the history of Old Norse research. Students read prose texts of various genres (e.g. sagas of Icelanders, Kings' sagas, legendary sagas, learned works and texts from other genres), partly in the original Old Norse (Old Icelandic and Old Norwegian, both normalized and unnormalized), partly in translation. In addition, the syllabus also includes secondary literature.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

After successfully completing this course, students will have:

- Knowledge of the main characteristics of Old Norse literature.

- Good knowledge of central texts in a number of Old Norse genres.

- Basic knowledge of the history of Old Norse research.

Abilities

- The ability to comment on and analyse a selection of Old Norse texts.

- The ability to place these texts in a literary-historical perspective.

- The ability to read a selection of these texts in their original language.

- The ability to place the history of Old Norse literary studies within the history of the discipline.

General Competence

- The ability to understand the literary structures of different genres.

- The ability to relate the canon of Old Norse literature to other literatures.

- The ability to both compare and contrast the history of Old Norse research in relation to the development of other disciplines.

Level of Study

B.A.

Semester of Instruction

Fall.

Place of Instruction

Bergen.
Required Previous Knowledge

NOFI101

Students must have a good knowledge of the Norwegian language.

Recommended Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
NOFI107 overlaps almost completely with the previously taught course NOFI105, and no credits will be awarded for NOFI107 to students who have taken NOFI105.
Access to the Course
The course is open to all students with the right to study at UiB.
Teaching and learning methods

Lectures

The teaching is planned with the intention that the students participate actively, and it is therefore expected that they carry out the assignments (written and/or oral) that will be set as a part of the teaching.

If less than five students are registered for a course, the department might reduce the teaching, please see the department¿s guidelines regarding this on ¿Mitt UiB¿. Regarding a course where this is a possibility, the students will get information about this at the beginning of the semester, and before the deadline concerning semester registration 1st February/1st September.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

1) Obligatory attendance at least 75% of the scheduled lectures.

2) The students must give a short presentation (10 - 15 minutes) on one of the course topics. The topic is selected in agreement with the lecturer, whom also approves the presentation.

The compulsory requirements are valid for the given semester.

Forms of Assessment

Take-home examination.

The take-home examination that lasts for 7 days. The expected length of the take-home examination essay will be 8-12 pages (16 000-24 000 characters incl. spaces), not counting the list of works cited and appendices.

Grading Scale
Grade scale A-F.
Reading List
Cf. Reading list
Course Evaluation
Evaluation will be conducted in accordance with the University of Bergen's quality assurance system.