Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Open Examination 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Essay 2000 Words | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Open Examination 2000 Words | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Demonstrate how magic and the functions of magic and the supernatural in society developed, and the role that magic played in society.
Demonstrate a understanding of current approaches to and on-going historiographical debates on magic and the supernatural in the Middle Ages.
Identify and analyse a wide range of primary sources, including but not limited to: literary and narrative sources, visual materials, archaeological, and other forms of historical evidence.
Demonstrate skills in expressing argument and opinion in both written work, and orally in broader seminar discussion.
Brief description
The history of magic is one that is often studied through the lens of witchcraft, and more specifically the Witch Craze of the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries, which also spread across the Atlantic. What is less known however, is how and why magic came to be seen as heretical by the Church in the fifteenth century, after many centuries of largely accepted practice. This module focuses on the ancient origins of magic, and how magical practices and belief in the supernatural shaped society in the Middle Ages. By taking a primarily cultural approach, this module will investigate magical and supernatural practices that emerged from Antiquity and the Muslim world, whilst also introducing the different forms of magic that played an integral part in daily life such as: medicine, environmental magic, astrological practices, and divination.
Aims
By the end of the module students will develop understanding of debates over role and function of magic in society, and knowledge more broadly on the cultural developments of the Middle Ages. Students will also gain familiarity with secondary literature and the place of magic and the supernatural in historiography. Additionally, the use and application of primary sources in this module will be explored in depth through seminars.
Content
1. An introduction to Magic and the Supernatural in the Middle Ages
2. The Occult in Antiquity
3. The Rise of Magic in Early Medieval Europe
4. Magic and the Church
5. Science, Magic, and Shared Ideas
6. Magic and Medicine
7. Natural Philosophy and the Environment
8. Astrology and Astronomy
9. Alchemy: From Thomas Aquinas to Roger Bacon
10. Divination Magic
11. Necromancy and Sorcery
12. Magical Folklore of the British Isles: Gwydion, Lailoken and Merlin
13. Magical Folklore in Europe: Fairies, Elves and Draugr
14. Demonic Magic and Heresy
15. Condemnation of the Occult
16. The Hammer of Witches
17. The Image of the Witch
18. The Early Modern Witch Craze: Pendle, Salem, Torsåker
This module consists of 4 seminars of 90 minutes:
1. The Origins of the Occult: Antiquity and Early Medieval Europe
2. Science, Religion and Magic
3. The Role of Magic in Folklore
4. The Image of the Witch & The Origins of the Witch Craze
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Communication | Written communication skills will be developed through the coursework and written examination; skills in oral presentation will be developed in seminars but are not formally assessed. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will be advised on how to improve research and communication skills through the individual tutorial providing feedback on submitted coursework. |
| Information Technology | Students will be encouraged to locate suitable material on the web and to apply it appropriately to their own work. Students will also be expected to word-process their work and make use of Blackboard. These skills will not be formally assessed. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will develop a range of transferable skills, including time management and communication skills, which may help them identify their personal strengths as they consider potential career paths. |
| Problem solving | Students are expected to note and respond to historical problems which arise as part of the study of this subject area and to undertake suitable research for seminars and essays. |
| Research skills | Students will develop their research skills by reading a range of texts and evaluating their usefulness in preparation for the coursework and the written examination. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Students will be expected to play an active part in group activities (e.g. short group presentations in seminars) and to learn to evaluate their own contribution to such activities. |
| Team work | Students will be expected to play an active part in group activities (e.g. short group presentations in seminars) and to learn to evaluate their own contribution to such activities. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5