Book of Hours; Kentuckiensis III - fols. 61v-62, c1475-1500; NE Italy, School of Ferrara Gift of J. Christian Bay; University of Kentucky Special Collections

• What is the Medieval Studies Forum?
• Associated Links
• Schedule of Meetings and Discussion Topics
• Archive of Past Discussion Topics

---

Dr. M. Wendy Hennequin (Associate Professor of English, Tennessee State University-Nashville) presents

"God for Harry, Hogwarts, and St. George: How J.K. Rowling Uses Medieval Saints' Lives  in the Harry Potter Series"

DATE: Thursday, March 7, 2013
TIME: 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.
PLACE: USI Education Building, room 1101

Synopsis:  J.K. Rowling borrows ideas, tropes, and conventions from many types of literature, but did you know that the Harry Potter series uses tropes and plot structures from medieval saints' stories? Dr. Hennequin will reveal how Rowling most significantly uses the plots of saints' stories when Harry fights Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets and the Goblet of Fire (the second and fourth novels), and when Neville fights Voldemort in The Deathly Hallows. By using these saints' plots, Rowling reveals character, reinforces the core values of the texts, and identifies Harry with saints to reassure us of his inevitable victory.

 This Medieval Studies Forum lecture is made possible by the mutual support of the University of Southern Indiana English Department and College of Liberal Arts. The MSF is organized by Dr. S. Elizabeth Passmore, Associate Professor of English.

---

What is the Medieval Studies Forum?

The USI Medieval Studies Forum sponsors presentations by faculty and students at the University of Southern Indiana and faculty and independent scholars from elsewhere. The forum was created in the fall of 2006 as a place where faculty, staff, students, and members of the community can gather in a friendly and informal environment to learn about a variety of medieval topics ranging across disciplines such as literature, art history, history, gender studies, and material culture.
 
We are on Facebook! Join the “Medieval Studies Forum” site for updates and upcoming events.
 
USI STUDENTS: Get involved in the student organization, “Medieval Studies Society” (also on Facebook)!  See Bonnie Hobgood (bjhobgood) or Dr. Passmore for more details, or stop by our new clubroom in OC3047.
 
For more information and/or to be added to the mailing list, please contact Dr.
S. Elizabeth Passmore, Associate Professor, English Department (LA3025B;  Email: epassmore). 

---

Associated Links

• Scavone Awards in Medieval Manuscripts and Culture
• We are on Facebook now! Please check out our site and become a "Fan" to get updates.

---

Schedule of Meetings and Discussion Topics

The USI Medieval Studies Forum invites you to the presentations for Fall 2012!

Check back for new schedule

*  *  *  *  *

---

Archive of Past Discussion Topics

2012

• February: Dr. Matthew V. Desing, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Languages and Linguistics, University of Texas, El Paso

2011

• November: Dr. Christopher Flavin, lecturer in the English Dept., presented "Filí Na mBan: Women in the Celtic Poetic Traditions"
• October: Howard Andrew Jones, novelist, presented "1001 Arabian Pages: Bringing Medieval Arabia to Life" 
• March: Anya King, USI History Dept., presented "A Quest for Cathay" 

2010

• October: John Lawrence presented "Books of Hours: Medieval Bestsellers"
• April: Fredericka Schmadel, instructor in Humanities: "Forget the Grail; Go With God!: Mysticism in the Late Middle Ages."
• March:  David Black, USI Communications Dept., and S. Elizabeth Passmore, USI English Dept.: presented on astrolabes & other astronomical devices in medieval literature & culture

2009

• November: Annette Parks, University of Evansville History Department: "The Damsel and The Pearl: How Can We Recover Their Stories?"
• October: Dan Scavone, USI History Dept. Emeritus: "The Myth of the Vampire"
• September: Dan Craig, USI Music Dept.: "Medieval Music: Sacred and Profane"
• April: Chris Keegan, Vincennes U Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting Programs:  “Medieval Surgery”
• March: Dr. Jason Hardgrave, USI History Dept.: "The Catapult Connection: The Invention of and Inventing in the Middle Ages"
• February: Mr. John Gibson, USI Classical and Modern Languages Dept.:  “The Medieval Imagined: The East Anglian Landscape and its Buildings”

2008

• December:  Dr. Margaret Skoglund, USI Art Dept.:   "Isabel la Catolica's Art as Solidification of a Questionable Reign"
• November:  Ms. Patricia Aakhus, USI English Dept.:  “Alchemy: the Great Work”
• October: Leslie McCrary and Ashley Mewes, USI English majors, “Chaucerian Forgeries”
• April:  Dr. Paula Von Loewenfeldt, USI English Dept., “Mapping Late Medieval British Drama”
• March:  Dr. Dan Scavone, USI Professor Emeritus of History, “The Mystery of the Holy Grail:  Crossing the Sword Bridge to a Solution”
• February: Marcia Mishler, USI MALS graduate student, “The History and Development of Chess in the Middle Ages”
• January:  Dr. Lisa Nicholas, USI English Dept., “Chivalry's Defects in Chretien de Troyes’ Perceval (The Story of the Grail): A Re-reading of Gornemant’s Instructions to Perceval”

2007

• November:  Ms. Virginia Poston, USI Art Dept., demonstrates how to plumb the scholarly depths of the ArtStor database (available through Rice Library) for medieval manuscript images.
• October: Dr. S. Elizabeth Passmore continues her demonstrations of the interactive CDs for medieval studies produced by the University of York on the topics of Pilgrims & Pilgrimage and Images of Salvation.
• September:  Dr. S. Elizabeth Passmore, USI English Dept., demonstrates the classroom and research possibilities of two interactive CDs for medieval studies produced by the University of York on the topics of Pilgrims & Pilgrimage and Images of Salvation.
• April: Our topic of discussion will be drawn from the following topics as they are manifested in medieval literature, history, and art:  pilgrimage & the cult of relics; crusades & inter-cultural contact; chivalry & knighthood
• March:  Our topic of discussion will be King Arthur and Arthurian legend in medieval literature, history, and art. 
• February:  Ms. Lisa Nicholas, USI English dept.,  discusses her research on Chretien de Troyes, the twelfth-century romance writer who popularized tales of King Arthur and his knights.
• January: Craig Fehrman, USI English major, discusses his current work-in-progress concerning the use of anthologies in literature courses.

2006

• November:  Our topic of discussion will be the Black Plague of 1349 and its impact on history, art, and literature.
• October:  Inaugural meeting of the Medieval Studies Forum: Our topic of discussion will be the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages.