Work in Progress

Reflective Essay

September 29, 2006 at 1:44 am (Reflective Essays)

For the past five weeks I have been doing my reading to the best of my ability and, though I had no previous experience to speak of dealing with Medieval Literature it was a shock and a delight to me that many of our readings were focused on Chaucer’s tales and even more so in Arthurian Romances. I really enjoyed Marie and Chretien because these stories of chivalry, no matter how conflicting their message may be has really caught my attention and has been something I have enjoyed for quite some time.
I have enjoyed the literature so thoroughly I’ve been taking notes on all my readings so I can keep the events and the characters straight, and I have started to read passages I am having difficulty with out loud. It was a wonderful suggestion and I believe it has helped because otherwise I would be stuck on words unaware that it was something very simple. I am really enjoying learning about the conflicting attitudes and standards that each knight and nobleman must struggle with as he attempts to obtain the great title of the “chivalric” hero. The texts themselves have not been a surprise in their competition as I have read many Arthurian Romances before, but some of the discoveries made in class and by students on their “blogs” in relation to symbols and deep background of characters has taken my understanding of these stories to a new and interesting level.
I have been researching and reading for my portfolio and most of these readings have dealt with the idea of adultery in the Arthurian Romance and how it is portrayed to the audience as acceptable in some cases but unacceptable in others. It is most interesting as to why this is the case and what about the diction in each story helps to convince the reader in each sense. I have been using the guide given in the syllabus and it has been helping. I’m just curious if any linking paragraph is needed to tie all the articles together. Also, I found a special edition of reviewed articles that are all in the same section of a journal and I am wondering if I am able to use these articles or I have to find them all from different locations and articles. Other than that I am really enjoying the class thus far and the outside research.