Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Arthurian Literature (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 4510-01

Course: ENGL 4510-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: English
CRN: 33359

Course Description

This course traces the rich and evolving tradition of Arthurian legend from its earliest origins to its most recent reinterpretations, asking how each era reinvents Arthur's world to suit its own cultural anxieties and ideals—about nation, kingship, gender, desire and the nature of heroism. Through close reading of primary texts, we will move from foundational Welsh tales and the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth through the courtly romances of Chretien de Troyes, Sir Thomas Mallorys Le Morte D9Arthur, and later revivals in the works of Spenser and Tennyson, before arriving at twentieth- and twenty-first-century adaptations in film and fiction, ending with Nicola Griffith's Spear. Along the way, we will consider not only how the legend changes but what those changes reveal about the cultures that kept finding new reasons to tell these stories.

Required Texts

  • Sir Thomas Mallory, Le Morte D9Arthur1ISBN 978-0199537341
  • Nicola Griffith, Spear1ISBN 978-1250819321

Additional required readings are available as pdf. files in the Canvas Modules titled Course Readings.

Required Film Viewing
  • John Boorman, Excalibur (1981)

Learning Outcomes

  • Inquiry and Analysis: Students demonstrate the ability to apply a range of literary theories and/or critical perspectives through close reading and analysis.
  • Communication: Students demonstrate the ability to articulate interpretations and critical positions through presentations and academic essays.
  • Information Literacy: Students demonstrate the ability to conduct scholarly research.

Course Requirements

Journals: These short informal yet analytical/interpretive assignments (1-2 pages) ask you to explore an interpretive issue or problem that interests you about the text(s) in question. As you read the primary texts, feel free to reflect backward or outward. 30%

Final Project: The Final Project will include 3 different options: 1) an interpretive essay on two texts weve read in class; 2) an interpretive essay on a text weve read in conjunction with another work (literature or film/tv); or 3) a book review of an Arthurian novel (35%). Students will submit a short project proposal (5%) and complete a Draft (10%). 50%

Classroom Engagement: Classroom engagement covers your day-to-day participation in large-group (and sometimes small-group) discussions of the readings. 20%

Grading. Final grades will be determined by the percentage of the 100 possible points earned: 93-100% A, 90-92% A-, 87-89% B+, 83-86% B, 80-82% B-, 77-79% C+, 73-76% C, 70-72% C-, 67-69% D+, 63-66% D, 60-62% D-, and 59% and below F. Also, if your grade lands at a .5, I will round it up (I.e., 89.5 = 90).

Course Outline

Please complete all assigned readings on the day designated below before attending class and be prepared to participate in class discussion and other activities. Except for Le Morte D9Arthur and Spear, all readings are available through Canvas, either as links or PDF files, or free eBooks.

From this point onward, students will be working independently on Final Project assignments; however, I will be available via email if you have questions.

Thanksgiving Break

I will arrange individual conferences during Exam Week on Monday, if needed, so please email me to set up a Zoom appointment.

DatesReading AssignmentsWriting Assignments
W 9/2Intro to Course Material & Requirements
F 9/4Geoffrey of Monmouth, selections from The History of BritainJournal 1
M 9/7Labor Day: No Class
W 9/9Peradur son of Efrawg
F 9/11Chretien de Troyes, Percival (read pp. 381-4321stop before That evening they pitched camp)
M 9/14Chretien de Troyes, Percival (pp. 432-494)
W 9/16Sir Thomas Mallory, Le Morte D9Arthur, The Marriage of King Uther unto King Arthur (pp. 3-49)
Vote on readings for Edmund Spensers The Faerie Queene
F 9/18Le Morte (pp.50-81)Journal 2
M 9/21Le Morte, The Noble Talke of the Sangrail (pp. 310-356)
W 9/23Le Morte (pp. 357-402)
F 9/25Le Morte, The Tale of Sir Lancelot and Queen Guenivere (pp. 403-467)
M 9/28Le Morte, The Death of Arthur (pp. 468-527)
W 9/30Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, A Letter of the Authors + Book 1, cantos 7 & 9
F 10/2The Faerie Queene, Book 2, cantos 8 & 11Journal 3
M 10/5The Faerie Queene, Book IV, cantos 7-8
W 10/7The Faerie Queene, cantos 5-7
F 10/9Discuss Final Project Requirements
M 10/12Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Idylls of the King, Dedication and The Coming of Arthur
W 10/14Balin and Balan
F 10/16Merlin and VivienJournal 4
M 10/19No Class: Fall Break
W 10/21Lancelot and Elaine
F 10/23No Class: I will be at an academic conference.
M 10/26The Holy Grail
W10/28The Last Tournament
F 10/30Guinevere, The Passing of Arthur, and To the QueeneJournal 5
M 11/2John Boorman, Excalibur (film)
W 11/4Excalibur
F 11/6Excalibur
M 11/9Nicola Griffith, Spear (pp. 1-59)
W 11/11Spear (pp. 59-117)
F 11/13Spear (pp. 117-167)Journal 6
M 11/16Work on Proposals
W 11/18Work on Proposals
F 11/20Work on ProposalsSubmit Final Project Proposal
M 11/30Review Final Project Organizational Requirements
I will arrange for individual conferences this week if needed, so please email me if you need to set up a Zoom appointment.
W 12/2Work on Draft
F 12/4Work on DraftDraft of Final Project Due
M 12/7Work on Revisions
I will arrange for individual conferences this week, if needed so please email me if you need to set up a Zoom appointment.
W 12/9Work on Revisions
F 12/11Work on Revisions
T 12/15Final Project due by 11:59 pm1please note that there is only a 24 hour no-penalty window for this assignment.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Assignments. All written work is due as indicated in the course schedule below. You will have a 48-hour window to turn in Journals, Final Project Proposal, and Draft without penalty; you will have a 24-hour window to turn in the Final Project without penalty. I will provide extensions on a case-by-case basis, so please reach out to me at least 24 hours in advance for approval if you need one for any assignment.

Attendance Policy

Attendance. Attendance is required, and participation in classroom discussion is expected. Because these categories are worth 20% of your grade, failure to attend class and participate (or chronic lateness) could result in a low grade in this category and create confusion about expectations for writing assignments.

Course Fees

$12

Generative AI Policy

Generative AI Policy

This course expects that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students, working individually as directed by class assignment instructions. Using Generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or Claude) to produce essay content is not acceptable in this class; moreover, relying on AI for organizational strategies, especially for comparative interpretations, usually results in weak essays.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.