ENGLISH 160: POETRY THROUGH PERFORMANCE

Fall 1998 Mr. Pierce

Required texts:

Vendler, Helen. Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction and Anthology. Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1997.

Field: Contemporary Poetry and Poetics. No. 58: Spring 1998.

Assignments:

Sept. 3 Introduction

Sept. 8 Vendler, pp. 3-24

Sept. 10 Shakespeare sonnets in handout

Sept. 15 Sonnet 50 on Internet; memorize Shakespeare sonnet

Sept. 17 Vendler, pp. 25-54

Sept. 22 Vendler, pp. 54-65; paper due

Sept. 24 Vendler, pp. 67-99

Sept. 29 Poemweb due

Oct. 1-15 Student-led classes on poems

Oct. 15 Paper due

Oct. 27 Vendler, pp. 101-129

Oct. 29 Vendler, pp. 129-43

Nov. 3 Vendler, pp. 145-69

Nov. 5, 10 Groups performing poems; paper due on day of performance

Nov. 12 Vendler, pp. 171-88

Nov. 17 Vendler, pp. 188-209; poem due

Nov. 19 Vender, pp. 211-235

Nov. 24 Vendler, pp. 237-82

Dec. 1 Vendler, pp. 283-308

Dec. 3 Field, pp. 7-30

Dec. 8 Field, pp. 31-56

Dec. 10 Performances of poems; paper due

Course requirements:

You will receive at least a B in the course if you miss no more than two classes without excuse and complete all the written and oral assignments on time. Do not expect to pass the course if you omit a major assignment, repeatedly turn in work late, repeatedly seem unfamiliar with the reading assignments, or miss more than four classes without excuse. B+ and A grades can be earned by getting bonus credit on assignments (indicated by a +); excellent class participation through the semester will receive bonus credit.

Written assignments:

Please use 8 1/2 x 11 paper and either word-process, type, or write legibly in ink. Legible corrections are perfectly all right, and you may use both sides of the paper. Papers are due either in class or by 4:30 at my office, Rice 106. If you need an extension, check with me in advance. Both the tutor and I will be glad to talk with you about ideas for a paper or to look at a draft.

If you use scholarly or critical writing beyond what we have in the text, including Internet material, be sure to document the use specifically. Footnote any ideas that you take from such a text, and indicate with quotation marks any places where you use author's words. When a text has been generally useful and you have no occasion to footnote to it, include it in a bibliography. Give page references when you quote from a long poem. It is appropriate to have other people read and comment on your writing before you turn it in, but of course you should have written whatever you put your name to. If you have any questions about proper use of others' work or documentation, feel free to consult with me or the tutor.

Sept. 22	Using one of the "Other Poems," discuss in a page or two how some aspect of life is given poetic shape. You may start with Vendler's questions on pp. 54-55.
Sept. 29	Construct a poemweb comparable to that for Shakespeare's Sonnet 60 for a poem in Vendler that we have not discussed at length. Your web may be on paper or on the Web.
Oct. 15	Write an analysis of a poem in Vendler of about 3-5 pp., using a poem that she does not discuss in detail.
Nov. 5-10	Write an analysis of what your performance brought out about the poem, in about 3-5 pp., to be turned in the day of your performance.
Nov. 17	Write a poem.
Dec. 10	Write a paper of about 4-6 pp. comparatively analyzing two poems, one of which need not be in Vendler. If it is not, make sure that I have a text of it. If you want to pick up this paper before you leave, put the date and time by which you need it on the first page. I will put papers with final grades out in a box in front of my office, Rice 106, as soon as I complete them, unless you give me a self-addressed envelope. I will keep all papers that are not picked up through the spring, so you can retrieve your own when you return.

Heart a'man; get a law book in your hand . . . this villainous poetry will undo you, by the welkin.