Engl 372: Arts of Medieval & Renaissance Britain travel course

Travel Photogallery

Undergraduate Research Abstracts 

Narration through Stained Glass

By Valerie Hope, English/Communications '08
Presented at the MCLA Undergraduate Research Conference

Throughout the literary world there are many ways for authors to tell their stories.  Not all of these techniques necessarily involve words, and in fact, many of the most ancient and widely recognizable forms of storytelling make use of the pictorial element.  This project is based on the research I conducted while studying abroad for the Medieval and Renaissance Britain travel course with Prof. Rosanne Denhard.  I visited places such as the York Minster (York), Westminster Abbey (London), and St. Margaret's Chapel (Edinburgh, Scotland), comparing and contrasting the various stained glass illustrations and exploring their backgrounds.  Through my research, I illuminated the historical significance of narration through stained glass.

View Valerie's PowerPoint Presentation.

Commonplace Books of Medieval and Renaissance Britain

By Lyndsay DeBord, English/Communications '08
Presented at the MCLA Undergraduate Research Conference

In England, I researched Medieval and Renaissance "commonplace books."  I incorporated on-site learning at historic sites/museums and archival library research.  Commonplace books, or miscellanies, were a way of compiling valued information: letters, recipes, prayers, scholarly work, etc.  In my archival research, I examined materials at the library of York Minster (York), the British Library (London), the archives at Westminster Abbey (London), and the British Museum (London).  My paper discusses the miscellany's importance in the 16th and 17th centuries.  Further, my presentation shows specific examples/pages from the researched commonplace books.

View Lyndsay's PowerPoint Presentation.