Tips on Reading and Writing

HELPFUL TIPS:


1. Begin at the beginning:
All the texts assigned for class have succinct Introductions (and in some cases, notes and critical appendices as well). These particular translations were chosen based on the usefulness (and sometimes controversial nature) of this specific material. So, you should start at the beginning and go over what the translator highlights for you in those introductions. Make a note of what is said about important themes and characters (those reading journals come in handy for this!). The introductions will give you an idea of what to look for and to pay attention to as you begin your reading.


2. Choose a key episode:
In many of the chronicles and romances, you'll se that there are many, often seemingly unrelated, episodes strung together. Don't get bogged down in the details of all of them. Choose one or two for yourself that carry out the theme of the story. In The Knight of the Cart, for instance, how does Lancelot's choice to cross the Sword Bridge define his nature as a perfect courtly knight? his total devotion to love? How does this episode tie in with how other characters (Gawain and Meleagant, for example) act when faced with such choices? What kind of language and narrative techniques are used to recount your particular episode? What is the nature of the characters in your episode? and how can you compare them to other characters and episodes in the text?


3. Choose spot quotations to focus your reading and understanding:
What line or passage has special meaning for you? As you read, what really sticks in your mind that is memorable? How does the line or passage illustrate the whole of the story? You will be posting some of your memorable passages to the discussion board and getting reactions from others in the class. It will be interesting to see some of the similarities and differences, or to see that people pick the same passage, but for different reasons!


4. Read the text before coming to class and Read ahead:
As I've mentioned elsewhere, you will have a very hard time folowing discussions and participating in class if you haven't read the material beforehand. Go over the introduction carefully and then do a quick read first--to get the gist and a general sense of what the story is about. Then focus more closely on a few key episodes to illustrate the text's meaning and that can form a basis for your understanding of the whole.
Reading Ahead: All our readings are not the same length--the texts in the second half of the semester are the longest. Use the first half of the semester to read ahead of what's being discussed in class. Look back to the earlier texts and compare them to what you're reading. You'd be surprised at how many comparisons you can make and how things begin to look a lot clearer. For example, how does the character of Kay, or Merlin, or Gawain differ from text to text? Lancelot? Guenevere? Arthur?


Jot down special difficulties and Increase your reading speed:
What's the hardest part of the book for you to manage? Where do you feel "bogged down?" We will discuss some of these problems in class, but post some questions to the discussion board and see what others have to say. For most students (and for me, too) the long lists of names, numbers, and battles can be very confusing. They seem to clutter the narrative. Instead of trying to remember all the details about people, battles, numbers fighting, etc., ask yourself why these details are given. What would the interest be for a medieval audience? You'll see how Geoffrey of Monmouth and Wace alter some of the details of certain episodes based on their audiences and for a certain effect.
Another point on names: There are many different spellings for the same name (e.g. Gawain and Guenevere). We will adopt the most common forms and use them consistently.
If you don't get bogged down in certain details by paging through those passages, you will increase your reading speed. Make a note of such passages and try to understand their purpose and effect: Why are they included? No one (and that includes me!) is going to ask you how many soldiers showed up at the battle between Arthur and Hengist! Likewise, you'll never be asked to recount Merlin's prophecies from Geoffrey of Monmouth. Even Wace steered clear of that one!


6. Writing assignments:
Writing is improved by writing, and there is no getting away from that fact. You should therefore use every opportunity you have to improve your writing. All of your writing should be done carefully--whether it's your journal entries, postings to the discussion board, e-mails to me or others in the class, essays, or research papers. Each assignment should be well-organized--with a topic sentence and definition of your central idea(s). Your writing should be neatly presented--with grammar and spelling checked and critical sources (be they print or electronic) presented accurately (use Hacker's Pocket Style Manual or the MLA Style Sheet for the details of the presentation of research and tips on the mechanics of spelling, punctuation, etc.). Correct your assignments when you get them back and come in to see me with any questions.

Source:http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/modlang/talarico/tips.htm