BA Ancient History

This core course is structured around two central, key texts, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Each is read, initially, in translation, but there will also be consideration of key passages in the original. In the lectures, various approaches to the texts are compared, and there will be considerations of the relevance of history, archaeology, and material culture to the texts. 

• to introduce students to literature of the Anglo-Saxon and later medieval periods
• to familiarise students with two key literary genres of the Middle Ages (epic and romance)
• to familiarise students with different literary and contextual themes and frameworks
• to encourage a critical engagement with the term ‘medieval’ and its contemporary connotations, both in literature and in other media
• to develop the ability to read and discuss medieval literatures with reference to recent theoretical developments in the field
• to encourage group discussion as well as the development of independent research skills

 By the end of this course students will be able to:

• be able to demonstrate a familiarity with two key genres in medieval literature
• analyse (close read) two of the most important poems from the English Middle Ages
• discuss the texts on the syllabus with an awareness of their cultural and historical contexts
• appreciate the role of translation in mediating these texts

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• be able to demonstrate familiarity with two key genres in medieval literature
• discuss the texts on the syllabus with an awareness of their cultural and historical contexts 

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• be able to show critical awareness of the current interpretations and versions of ‘the medieval’ in different media
• have an awareness of recent theoretical approaches 

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• be able to formulate a coherent argument  

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• be able to undertake very basic translation from medieval languages 

• Oral feedback during seminars
• Written feedback on essays
• Additional one-to-one feedback (during consultation hour or by making an appointment)

One Anglo-Saxon poem – Beowulf – and one late Middle English poem – Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – in modern editions with both translation and original. Related secondary materials.  

Seamus Heaney, trans. Beowulf: A Verse Translation (Norton Critical Editions, 2002)  

James Winny, ed. and trans. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Broadview Literary Texts, 1992)  

A Companion to the Gawain Poet, ed. by Derek Brewer and Jonathan Gibson (D.S. Brewer, 1997)  

A Beowulf Handbook, ed. by Robert E. Bjork and John D. Niles (Exeter Medieval Texts and Studies, 1997)  

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £29,200 per annum.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

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Learn more about fees and finance for international students .

As an international student you may be eligible for our Global Futures Scholarships . This is open to students starting their studies in September 2026.