Michael Camille, in Image on the Edge: The Margins of Medieval Art, describes the ability of the sometimes outrageous drawings bordering medieval manuscripts “to gloss, parody, modernize, and problematize the text’s authority while never totally undermining it.” This course examines literary and cultural depictions of individuals, groups, fantastic creatures, and spaces that existed on the margins of medieval society. What kind of power did they have? What functions did they play in both challenging cultural norms and maintaining societal values? Readings include Marie de France’s Bisclavret, Miracles of Our Lady by Gonzalo de Berceo, The Travels of John Mandeville, Yde et Olive and the Roman de Troie, and The Trial of Joan of Arc. (Group III) (Writing Option)