Unreachably Far and Immediately Near: Armenian Mysticism and Contemplative Writings
ARMENST 214
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
Premodern Armenian writings are heavily marked by a contemplative or mystical orientation, i.e., they were meant to inspire or aid in the contemplative or mystical activity of those reading them. This is a result of the fact that the bulk of premodern Armenian literature was written, copied, and circulated in a monastic environment, where contemplation comprised one of the central activities of monks, who were also the primary authors, scribes, and readers of most Armenian texts. We thus also find a contemplative orientation in many works and genres that upon first glance one might not expect to be so, e.g. commentaries, poetry, etc. A contemplative or mystical approach is also evident in Gospel manuscript illumination and other artistic and non-literary media. This course explores contemplative and mystical writings in the premodern Armenian tradition, still a very underexplored area of premodern Armenian studies. Students with an interest in material culture may also focus upon the contemplative and mystical dimension in Armenian art and material culture.
Course Notes
This course can be used to fulfill the Language & Literature or Thought & Religion distribution requirement for the undergraduate secondary field in Medieval Studies. It also can be counted towards the requirements for the graduate secondary field in Medieval Studies.
Available for Harvard Cross Registration
