Medieval English Literature Professor

During the Middle Ages, literature was a lot like the Internet. There were thinly veiled stories about famous people, published anonymously by their Authors. And there were sappy stories, religious tracts, and downright vulgar tales. As a Medieval English Literature Professor, you teach students about these works.

When you’re a Medieval English Literature Professor, you’ll likely focus on one aspect of medieval English literature, since the topic is so broad. You may force your students to read the works in the original Middle English (but be ready to listen to them complain about learning an entirely new language). Sometimes, though, as a Medieval English Literature Professor, you take it easy on your new students, allowing them to read translated texts.

On a typical workday, you give your students a reading assignment, and then discuss that assignment in class. You tell your students about the social or political climate of the time, talk about the life of the Author, and try to relate the writing to current events so your students stay awake and interested.

You also ask them to write papers, and when the deadline nears, you head to the store to stock up on coffee and creamer. You then begin the task of grading the papers while making notes about concepts the students didn’t quite grasp. Based on those notes, you may modify your course when you teach the next class. And when the course is complete, you give each student a final grade.

In your spare time, you keep your knowledge sharp by studying medieval English. You may look for a new interpretation of an older work, for example, or you may try your hand at translating an older piece into modern English. To impress your students and boss, you may also try to get these items published in books or journals.