Stories about fairies, pixies and house spirits, whether they are told round a fire or read in a cosy armchair, have had an impact on many cultures. The aim of this course is to introduce students to a wide range of traditions about these beings and to consider some of the literature in which they appear. A renewed interest in fairy traditions is reflected in films, literature, art, and lifestyle choices in today’s world. This module traces the history and development of fairy traditions from classical and medieval sources through the art and literature of the Renaissance and Victorian periods. Among the themes this course will consider are the changing attitudes to fairy belief during the Enlightenment and the current revival of interest in these supernatural beings. There will be an opportunity to consider their role in today’s popular culture, film and contemporary fiction.

demonstrate knowledge of the resources for the study of fairy lore and an awareness of current scholarly debates and ideas

- apply such ideas and arguments towards criticism and analysis of texts, whether traditional, literary or film

- outline current debates and to evaluate alternative views and interpretations.

- demonstrate an understanding of the kinds of evidence that may be drawn from relevant literature and folklore

-  demonstrate an understanding of a range of concepts and perspectives within the appropriate secondary literature.

- Identify the main trends, ideas and approaches in the study of fairy lore and be able to write critically on some aspect. 

The module will be delivered through ten two-hour evening sessions. These sessions will consist of a fifty-minute lecture followed by group discussion and activities. Students will be expected to have read the relevant material provided and use that as the basis for contributions in class

The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form

•           The ability to work effectively with others in groups and to learn collaboratively through discussion and interaction

•           The ability to think critically, analyse sources, evaluate arguments, and challenge assumptions.

•           The ability to formulate and justify students’ own arguments and conclusions and present appropriate supporting evidence

•           The ability to locate relevant resources in the library and online and use them appropriately in academic work

•           The ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation

•           The ability to independently organise study methods, manage time effectively, and prioritise workload to meet deadlines

Type of assessment  % Contribution Title Duration (if applicable) Approx. date of Assessment

Assignment 1 (Source Assessment) (Summative) 30% Exact nature of task will vary from year to year

600 words 5^th week

Assignment 2 (Essay) (Summative) 70% Exact nature of task will vary from year to year 1200 words 10^th week

The following topics are among those which will be considered in this course:

• Minor deities in the classical world and their relation to fairy lore
• Shakespeare’s fairies
• Fairies and Witches in medieval Europe, the demonization of belief
• Fairy traditions in the rational world: spiritualism and science
• Neo-paganism and nature spirits, the revival of tradition
• Fairies, Elves and Goblins in contemporary fantasy writing
• The fairy world in art and on film
• Students will also have an opportunity to examine some relevant items in the Special Collections and Archives

D. L Ashliman, Fairy lore: a handbook Westport, CT: Greenwood Press 2006

Nicola Bown, Fairies in nineteenth –century Art and literature Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2001.

Alaric Hall, Elves in Anglo-Saxon England Woodbridge, Suffolk; Rochester, NY: Boydell Press 2007.

Micheal Osling (ed), Fairies Demons and Nature spirits Palgrave Historical Studies 2018

Diane Purkiss, Troublesome things: a history of fairies and fairy stories London: Penguin 2001

Carole G Silver, Strange and Secret Peoples New York; Oxford: Oxford University Press 1999.

Katharine Mary Briggs, The anatomy of Puck: an examination of fairy beliefs among Shakespeare’s contemporaries and successors London: Routledge & Kegan Paul 1959

Arthur Conan Doyle, The Coming of the Fairies Miami: Hardpress Publishing 2013

Dimitra Fimi, Tolkien Race and Cultural history: from fairies to Hobbits, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan 2009.

Howard Rollin Patch. The other world according to descriptions in medieval literature Cambridge, Mass: Harvard U.P. 1950.

W. Y Evans-Wentz The fairy faith in Celtic countries Miami, Hardpress Publishing [2012].

James Wade, Fairies in medieval romance Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan 2011