CE5489: Bewildering bodies and bizarre beliefs 1500-1700

School Continuing and Professional Education
Department Code LEARN
Module Code CE5489
External Subject Code 100302
Number of Credits 10
Level L4
Language of Delivery English
Module Leader Dr Michelle Deininger
Semester Spring Semester
Academic Year 2022/3

Outline Description of Module

To present-day eyes, the beliefs of earlier eras can appear bizarre and absurd; the products of ‘ignorance’ or ‘superstition’. This is certainly the case for early modern understandings of the human body. Crucially, however, these seemingly irrational ideas were often based on careful study and complex systems of thought. Indeed, the ways in which people in previous ages thought about the body and physiology can tell us a great deal about how they saw the world around them and their own place within it. With that in mind, this course will examine a range of beliefs about the body in Britain from 1500 to 1700. This will include attitudes to healing and medicine, heaven, hell and purgatory, monsters and monstrous births, ghosts and witches, and the use of prophecy. Focussing primarily on England, but drawing on the wider British and European contexts where relevant, we will examine what these so-called ‘aberrations’ can reveal about how ideas of ‘common sense’ and ‘normality’ have changed over time.

On completion of the module a student should be able to

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of unusual beliefs and practices relating to the body and society in early modern England, situating these in relation to the wider context.
  • Identify appropriate textual and material evidence and understand how to analyse and interpret different types of evidence.
  • Understand how to approach critically and interpret different evidence types, and recognise the difficulties of interpretation, particularly the limitations of the evidence.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use information from class and independent research to construct an academically-sound argument.
  • Recognise and analyse the major scholarly debates and trends concerning ideas about the body and the value of studying the unusual.
  • Present an argument accurately, succinctly and lucidly, and in written form;

How the module will be delivered

The module will be delivered as seven in-person sessions of 1 hour 45 minutes with approximately 50-60 minutes pre-recorded lecture material to listen to in advance of the session.  Sessions will consist of a mixture of audio-visual resources, class discussion and group work on specific topics relating to the module. The discussion and group work will enable the students to think critically and contribute to the debates and topics presented during the lectures. Students will also be expected to read relevant printed material and use that as the basis for contributions in class. The discussion-led sessions and the lectures themselves will be supplemented by internet resources available to the students via Learning Central

Skills that will be practised and developed

  • 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, showing respect for others’ reasoned views.
  • The ability to think critically, analyse sources, evaluate arguments, and challenge assumptions.
  • The ability to formulate and justify 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

How the module will be assessed

Assignment 1  (Source criticism) 30%  Exact nature of task will vary from year to year 500-600 words Week 3

Assignment 2 (Blog) 70%  Exact nature of task will vary from year to year 900-1000 words     A fortnight after final session

Assessment Breakdown

Type % Title Duration(hrs)
Written Assessment 100 Coursework N/A

Syllabus content

Unit 1: Early modern bodies and the extraordinary

Unit 2: Reading the body and the limits of the possible

Unit 3: Early modern monsters and monstrous bodies

Unit 4: Religion, belief and nostalgia

Unit 5: Early modern prophecy – uses and abuses

Unit 6: Ghosts, magic and witchcraft

Unit 7: Madness and melancholy


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