Postgraduate Medievalist Chat
So.
When OHF suggested a postgrad medievalist thread, upon noticing the hoards of medievalists who have shown up in the past few weeks, I was initially skeptical, being unsure of what exactly would be under discussion, but three hours of staring at a blank page and writing exactly 3 words has convinced me otherwise. Therefore, I have set up a thread for historians, literary people, philosophers, theologians, art historians archaeologists or just enthusiasts of the middle ages to chat.
I still don't have much idea what to talk about but it could be, and is by no means limited to; introductions (who are you, where and what do you study), advice on further study (what's this supervisor like etc.), historical debate (real or just for fun), emergency questions (need a reference?) or anything else that springs to mind.
To get us started, I give you this for art historical, metaphorical and palaeological consideration:
When OHF suggested a postgrad medievalist thread, upon noticing the hoards of medievalists who have shown up in the past few weeks, I was initially skeptical, being unsure of what exactly would be under discussion, but three hours of staring at a blank page and writing exactly 3 words has convinced me otherwise. Therefore, I have set up a thread for historians, literary people, philosophers, theologians, art historians archaeologists or just enthusiasts of the middle ages to chat.
I still don't have much idea what to talk about but it could be, and is by no means limited to; introductions (who are you, where and what do you study), advice on further study (what's this supervisor like etc.), historical debate (real or just for fun), emergency questions (need a reference?) or anything else that springs to mind.
To get us started, I give you this for art historical, metaphorical and palaeological consideration:
Scroll to see replies
We'll see what happens; I figure if the thread lasts and is useful we've gained something and if it dies then it dies and nothing is really lost. If we find particular resources or things are regularly useful or used in replies, we can edit them into the top of the thread, right?
Right now I'm a second-year PhD student. I work in an English department, although quite a lot of what I do is codicological rather than traditionally literary. So if anyone has questions about that side of things I may be able to help. Or I may not.
I think this is a metaphorical illustration of the relationship between my thesis (the dog) and me (the duck). (Is this English? Are there other languages in which it is felt that ducks quack? Has anyone done a big historical study of the perception of animal noises in European vernaculars?)
I offer for everyone's consideration my favourite example of overenthusiastic captioning.
Right now I'm a second-year PhD student. I work in an English department, although quite a lot of what I do is codicological rather than traditionally literary. So if anyone has questions about that side of things I may be able to help. Or I may not.
Original post by ellie.rew
To get us started, I give you this for art historical, metaphorical and palaeological consideration:
I think this is a metaphorical illustration of the relationship between my thesis (the dog) and me (the duck). (Is this English? Are there other languages in which it is felt that ducks quack? Has anyone done a big historical study of the perception of animal noises in European vernaculars?)
I offer for everyone's consideration my favourite example of overenthusiastic captioning.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by QHF
We'll see what happens; I figure if the thread lasts and is useful we've gained something and if it dies then it dies and nothing is really lost. If we find particular resources or things are regularly useful or used in replies, we can edit them into the top of the thread, right?
Right now I'm a second-year PhD student. I work in an English department, although quite a lot of what I do is codicological rather than traditionally literary. So if anyone has questions about that side of things I may be able to help. Or I may not.
I think this is a metaphorical illustration of the relationship between my thesis (the dog) and me (the duck). (Is this English? Are there other languages in which it is felt that ducks quack? Has anyone done a big historical study of the perception of animal noises in European vernaculars?)
I offer for everyone's consideration my favourite example of overenthusiastic captioning.
Right now I'm a second-year PhD student. I work in an English department, although quite a lot of what I do is codicological rather than traditionally literary. So if anyone has questions about that side of things I may be able to help. Or I may not.
I think this is a metaphorical illustration of the relationship between my thesis (the dog) and me (the duck). (Is this English? Are there other languages in which it is felt that ducks quack? Has anyone done a big historical study of the perception of animal noises in European vernaculars?)
I offer for everyone's consideration my favourite example of overenthusiastic captioning.
I'm a medieval historian, social/cultural in inclination with a current fascination for Saints' cults and hagiography, but more than happy to talk about anything really. Currently struggling with written assessments for my masters, and thought this would be another useful way to procrastinate.
On ducks and dogs, yes it is an English manuscript (http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2012/10/virile-if-somewhat-irresponsible-design-the-marginalia-of-the-gorleston-psalter.html). But, ducks do make different sounds in different languages: for example a French duck would say "coin coin" in the same situation. While it isn't a comprehensive study, OED is involved so this is fairly authoritative - http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/04/onomatopoeia-in-different-languages/
Come introduce yourselves hidden medievalists and see what new useful things we learn!
Edit: That isn't a picture of Death by any chance is it?
(edited 10 years ago)
Heyyy! I'm a final year undergrad, planning to study a masters in Medieval History at Oxford. Interested in cultural history, material culture, and political history (mostly by way of gender history, oops). The chat idea is really cool, though I confess I would be more likely to provide more information were it not on such a public forum!
Original post by Historiadora
Heyyy! I'm a final year undergrad, planning to study a masters in Medieval History at Oxford. Interested in cultural history, material culture, and political history (mostly by way of gender history, oops). The chat idea is really cool, though I confess I would be more likely to provide more information were it not on such a public forum!
Do you know Spanish, Historiadora?
Welcome!
Don't worry about revealing too much Historiadora, I'm similarly paranoid about public internet revelations (especially as I think some of my class mates are hidden somewhere on here too
)! General chat is all that's required.
We do seem to have a nice range of expertise developing though, covering quite a lot of bases and even other disciplines, which is really cool to find for such a small forum.
Don't worry about revealing too much Historiadora, I'm similarly paranoid about public internet revelations (especially as I think some of my class mates are hidden somewhere on here too
)! General chat is all that's required.We do seem to have a nice range of expertise developing though, covering quite a lot of bases and even other disciplines, which is really cool to find for such a small forum.
How did everyone here get interested in the middle ages? While I'd love to have one of those heartwarming stories of lifelong interest I'm afraid I only really started paying particular attention to the period after I started my BA. My undergraduate university had a compulsory medieval literature course in the first year of the English degree, and the texts we had to read for that really challenged and expanded my sense of what about a text could be interesting/exciting/good. But I think my initial specialisation was mostly driven by an embarrassingly practical reason: the medieval period courses were less popular, so (I reasoned) if I took them I could get more advice and time from the teaching staff than I would elsewhere.
It might be, I'm not sure—get back to me when I've put it through two years of peer review!
Original post by ellie.rew
Edit: That isn't a picture of Death by any chance is it?
It might be, I'm not sure—get back to me when I've put it through two years of peer review!
@Theopyrus: Yes, I do speak Spanish!
I got interested back when I was in school. We had a good deal of medieval history in our history classes. We were introduced to the whole three orders concept and I thought it was really interesting. It got me thinking about social organisation, in any case. We also got a good bit about the growth of cities and I really loved it for no particular reason. I'm still really interested in how urban groups figure in medieval politics, for example. It helps that throughout my undergrad I've been able to take medieval options with very able and enthusiastic lecturers.
I got interested back when I was in school. We had a good deal of medieval history in our history classes. We were introduced to the whole three orders concept and I thought it was really interesting. It got me thinking about social organisation, in any case. We also got a good bit about the growth of cities and I really loved it for no particular reason. I'm still really interested in how urban groups figure in medieval politics, for example. It helps that throughout my undergrad I've been able to take medieval options with very able and enthusiastic lecturers.
Not postgraduate or anything but really interested in classics and medieval history, am I allowed here?
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by donutaud15
Not postgraduate or anything but really interested in classics and medieval history, am I allowed here? Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Iridescenzo
I would have been a postgraduate medievalist, had I not been rejected. 
Yes, of course! The more the merrier, as medievalists are so rare anyway!
I got into medieval history first as a kid, with a love of all sorts of knights and damsels type stories, lego castles and visiting castles on holiday and that has just stuck with me ever since. I suppose that is the fairy-tale life long obsession, though my interests have expanded a lot, there's still a kernel of that childhood fascination there.
Original post by ellie.rew
Yes, of course! The more the merrier, as medievalists are so rare anyway!
I got into medieval history first as a kid, with a love of all sorts of knights and damsels type stories, lego castles and visiting castles on holiday and that has just stuck with me ever since. I suppose that is the fairy-tale life long obsession, though my interests have expanded a lot, there's still a kernel of that childhood fascination there.
I got into medieval history first as a kid, with a love of all sorts of knights and damsels type stories, lego castles and visiting castles on holiday and that has just stuck with me ever since. I suppose that is the fairy-tale life long obsession, though my interests have expanded a lot, there's still a kernel of that childhood fascination there.
Will be lurking here
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by ellie.rew
So.
When OHF suggested a postgrad medievalist thread, upon noticing the hoards of medievalists who have shown up in the past few weeks, I was initially skeptical, being unsure of what exactly would be under discussion, but three hours of staring at a blank page and writing exactly 3 words has convinced me otherwise. Therefore, I have set up a thread for historians, literary people, philosophers, theologians, art historians archaeologists or just enthusiasts of the middle ages to chat.
I still don't have much idea what to talk about but it could be, and is by no means limited to; introductions (who are you, where and what do you study), advice on further study (what's this supervisor like etc.), historical debate (real or just for fun), emergency questions (need a reference?) or anything else that springs to mind.
To get us started, I give you this for art historical, metaphorical and palaeological consideration:
When OHF suggested a postgrad medievalist thread, upon noticing the hoards of medievalists who have shown up in the past few weeks, I was initially skeptical, being unsure of what exactly would be under discussion, but three hours of staring at a blank page and writing exactly 3 words has convinced me otherwise. Therefore, I have set up a thread for historians, literary people, philosophers, theologians, art historians archaeologists or just enthusiasts of the middle ages to chat.
I still don't have much idea what to talk about but it could be, and is by no means limited to; introductions (who are you, where and what do you study), advice on further study (what's this supervisor like etc.), historical debate (real or just for fun), emergency questions (need a reference?) or anything else that springs to mind.
To get us started, I give you this for art historical, metaphorical and palaeological consideration:
ermm i am sure there are some real treasures amongst the TSR mediaevalists
Original post by the bear
ermm i am sure there are some real treasures amongst the TSR mediaevalists
Original post by Iridescenzo
I wish I didn't have such horrible writer's block.
This dissertation is consuming me.
It's basically just a glorified practical criticism of key moments in Pearl.
This dissertation is consuming me.
It's basically just a glorified practical criticism of key moments in Pearl.
I can sympathise, I've written about half a page in the past three days, when the target was at least five. And I havn't even started the dissertation yet
Original post by ellie.rew
x
It is, indeed, a Dissertation of Great Price.
I hope to garner a treasure trove of marks within my literary coffer, or else it'll be my head.
(edited 10 years ago)
I lurk every now and then on TSR. I'm a first year PhD student in English Literature. I concentrate on the response to and rewriting of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain in England, Scotland, and Wales. I'm broadly interested in Arthurian literature (medieval and modern), chronicles and historical writing, medievalism, and nationalism and nation studies.
I got interested in medieval literature in the first year of my English degree when I first read Malory's Le Morte Darthur. I took a large number of medieval options throughout years 2 and 3, and followed a Medieval and Renaissance pathway for my MA. At heart though, I'm probably a repressed classicist with a side interest in the history of totalitarianism. Sometimes I wonder how I became a medievalist, and frequently despair at my need to know languages and limited ability to read handwriting.
I got interested in medieval literature in the first year of my English degree when I first read Malory's Le Morte Darthur. I took a large number of medieval options throughout years 2 and 3, and followed a Medieval and Renaissance pathway for my MA. At heart though, I'm probably a repressed classicist with a side interest in the history of totalitarianism. Sometimes I wonder how I became a medievalist, and frequently despair at my need to know languages and limited ability to read handwriting.
(edited 10 years ago)
Original post by SilGathien
I lurk every now and then on TSR. I'm a first year PhD student in English Literature. I concentrate on the response to and rewriting of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain in England, Scotland, and Wales. I'm broadly interested in Arthurian literature (medieval and modern), chronicles and historical writing, medievalism, and nationalism and nation studies.
I got interested in medieval literature in the first year of my English degree when I first read Malory's Le Morte Darthur. I took a large number of medieval options throughout years 2 and 3, and followed a Medieval and Renaissance pathway for my MA. At heart though, I'm probably a repressed classicist with a side interest in the history of totalitarianism. Sometimes I wonder how I became a medievalist, and frequently despair at my need to know languages and limited ability to read handwriting.
I got interested in medieval literature in the first year of my English degree when I first read Malory's Le Morte Darthur. I took a large number of medieval options throughout years 2 and 3, and followed a Medieval and Renaissance pathway for my MA. At heart though, I'm probably a repressed classicist with a side interest in the history of totalitarianism. Sometimes I wonder how I became a medievalist, and frequently despair at my need to know languages and limited ability to read handwriting.
Where do you study?
I wish my undergraduate course offered more than a whopping two medieval modules throughout the whole syllabus.
I'm rather anti-historical; the chronology side of it never really interested me, which is probably why I'm not a huge fan of Le Morte D'Arthur.
I'm sure you wouldn't agree with all of my tastes, though.
Original post by Iridescenzo
I wish I didn't have such horrible writer's block.
This dissertation is consuming me.
It's basically just a glorified practical criticism of key moments in Pearl.
This dissertation is consuming me.
It's basically just a glorified practical criticism of key moments in Pearl.
Original post by ellie.rew
I can sympathise, I've written about half a page in the past three days, when the target was at least five. And I havn't even started the dissertation yet
Writer’s block: the worst evil for a student. I’ve been there. I do not know if any of these tactics will help you, but they worked for me:
-Pocket notebook: a good amount of my ideas occurred while I was not near my computer, so in that case I was able to stop and write it down to work it later.
-Tape recorder: I simple go out to the street, market, park, or whatever place unrelated with a study room. It is supposed that walking helps to gather stimuli, since your mind is not focused on a particular thing and so it uses different parts of your brain. Or something like that (do not know much about neuro-biology). The idea is that the mind learns through images and words, not the exact issue (as suggested in the Rhetorica ad Herenium), so external stimuli may trigger ideas deepened in your mind. While walking, some of these thoughts may emerge. Thus you record them. (Note: if this is made in public, some people may stare at you unfriendly).
-Discussions: discussing different issues help to come out with an argument. I suggest practicing in political forums, as they are fertile ground for polemic. Eventually some helpful argument will come out.
-Explain it to other people: I found great results in explaining my academic problems to people unrelated to my field of study. Firstly, because I have to put it in plain words assuming that the other does not know a thing abou it. Secondly, if some question comes by, then it is because I did not explain it properly or the argument has a flaw. Lastly, if the listener was uninterested in the topic at first and at the end he/she asks more about it, it means that the explanation succeeded better than planned.
-Typing machine: No internet, no distractions.
That is all I have. They are not perfect but they did help me a lot. Once the idea is there, especially in the tape recorder, it is easier for me to correct it by adding notes, correcting the order and so on. Inspiration is harder to find than reviewing.
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