NFI4112 – Scaldic Poetry and Grammatical Literature
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course gives an introduction to Old Norse rhetorics and poetics - grammatica - in Iceland between c. 1150 to 1400. The students will study the Old Norse texts in original language. The course will also provide a European background for the medieval study of grammatica as well as rhetorical and poetical praxis. The European tradition will be studied in translations from the Latin sources. A major focus will be on the relation between the introduction of European traditions and the Old Norse poetical traditions.
The course syllabus will differ; the reading list will consist of literature amounting to approximately 1000 pages.
Learning outcome
Students are to develop a capacity for reading Old Norse grammatical texts in original.
A central learning outcome will provide the students with a good understanding of the broad grammatical tradition that developed in Iceland in the 12th to 14th century.
Students are also to be able to relate the Old Norse texts to the European grammatical traditions.
The course will train the capacity for analysis and independent thinking when it comes to primary sources.
The students will be given insights into what it entails to do research in the field of rhetorics and poetics and thus be provided a basis on which to build their own work in the field.
The course will enable the students to summarize the research debate in an independent, well considered way, both orally and in writing.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
The minimum number of attendants for the course is 5.
Recommended previous knowledge
NFI1101 – Norr?n grammatikk og eldre spr?khistorie, NFI4120 – Old Norse - Language and Texts or equivalent knowledge.
Students who have not taken Old Norse grammar and language history before should take NFI4120 – Old Norse - Language and Texts parallel to this course.
Teaching
The teaching will to a great extent be group teaching in form of seminars and individual tutorials, 20 hours in all. Active participation is required.
Examination
The student’s work is assessed by a semester assignment.
The subject of the assignment is to be agreed between the student and the teacher in co-operation.
The assignment shall comprise 10 pages à 2300 keystrokes, excluding spaces, and may be written in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.