HA 393/593

The history and culture of the Middle Ages have long been a source of fascination and imaginative (recreation by later generations, from Gothic Revival architecture or Pre-Raphaelite images of the nineteenth century to the idealization of Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. However, these are largely based not on medieval reality but on fantastical reimagings of the period. This course will begin by exploring the true Middle Ages through an examination of architecture, tapestries, paintings, metalwork, manuscripts, and sculpture. Following this survey, we will address how the Middle Ages has been interpreted, manipulated, rejected, and revitalized to suit modern tastes in more contemporary