Teaching One Thing Leads to Another: A New Approach to Teaching Medieval Literature in the Twenty-First Century

Authors

Nicholas Markellos, Rutgers University, Camden

Publication Date

2025

Keywords

Medieval literature, Twenty-First Century, history

Abstract

Tart of the problem with defining the "Middle Ages" stems from nineteenth-century historians' attempts to distinguish the Renaissance as a unique period that brought about modernity. In examining the literature of this period, however, it is clear that there was a certain element of queerness that surrounded this bewildering age. As a literature teacher, I found that my students do not always see these strange and important elements in the antiquated translations of the texts. To that end, I designed a new curriculum unit that approaches the reading of several medieval stories through a queer perspective, as well as a lesson for writing queer translations. By applying this unique approach, students of the twenty-first century can have a better understanding of this mysterious, albeit important era. Furthermore, by giving students activities in which they can participate in this process, the curriculum allows them to engage with it more effectively.

Recommended Citation

Markellos, Nicholas (2025) "Teaching One Thing Leads to Another: A New Approach to Teaching Medieval Literature in the Twenty-First Century," Quidditas: Vol. 46, Article 13.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/rmmra/vol46/iss1/13