Harvard University Announces Introductory Course On 'Game Of Thrones'
New Delhi:
Winter is finally here and so is a course on 'Game of Thrones' at Harvard University. Harvard University recently announced a medieval history course which is inspired by the epic fantasy drama. As reported by the TIME magazine, the course is titled "The Real Game of Thrones: from Modern Myths to Medieval Models". The said folklore and mythology course will focus on studying the HBO TV Show which is based on the Fire and Ice book series by George R R Martin. As per the report in TIME the course will analyze how the show reflects as well as adapts and distorts the history and culture of the medieval world of erstwhile Eurasia from the period c.400 to 1500CE.
As reported by PTI, Sean Gilsdorf, a medieval historian and Administrative Director and Lecturer on Medieval Studies at the university described the course as an exploration of the archetypal characters in the show with distinct analogues in medieval history, literature, religion and legend.
Racha Kirakosian, who is an assistant professor of German and the Study of Religion will also teach the course at Harvard. She told TIME magazine that "'Game of Thrones' does dramatise nicely some fundamental things going on in medieval courts. Tensions between a queen and the younger women who marry their sons are some 'Real Housewives of 10th-century Germany' kind of stuff, where you see these women going after each other."
The course is being offered at the introductory 100-level. Kirakosian hopes that it will help in attracting students to medieval studies and humanities courses in general which have seen a decline in student application in recent years.
She said that while reading medieval verse epics with her students she often has students who say that the verses sound like something from the show. But it is the other way round and she feels that as professors it is their job to use the interest in the show to encourage students to delve deeper in the medieval history, culture, religion, and literature.
With Inputs from PTI
As reported by PTI, Sean Gilsdorf, a medieval historian and Administrative Director and Lecturer on Medieval Studies at the university described the course as an exploration of the archetypal characters in the show with distinct analogues in medieval history, literature, religion and legend.
Racha Kirakosian, who is an assistant professor of German and the Study of Religion will also teach the course at Harvard. She told TIME magazine that "'Game of Thrones' does dramatise nicely some fundamental things going on in medieval courts. Tensions between a queen and the younger women who marry their sons are some 'Real Housewives of 10th-century Germany' kind of stuff, where you see these women going after each other."
The course is being offered at the introductory 100-level. Kirakosian hopes that it will help in attracting students to medieval studies and humanities courses in general which have seen a decline in student application in recent years.
She said that while reading medieval verse epics with her students she often has students who say that the verses sound like something from the show. But it is the other way round and she feels that as professors it is their job to use the interest in the show to encourage students to delve deeper in the medieval history, culture, religion, and literature.
With Inputs from PTI
