English 236 - Winter, 2019

Poetics

Class Information

Instructor: Peterson, Katie
CRN: 54935
Time: M 3:10-6:00
Location: 120 Voorhies
Breadth: Later American
Focus: Genre, Interdiscipline, Theory

Description

This advanced seminar will act as a workshop and as a class in poetics. It will fulfill the Poetics requirement for M.A. students concentrating in Poetry, and will fulfill a seminar requirement for other M.A. students, as well as a workshop requirement. We will read a selection of ancient and contemporary prose texts that consider the nature of poetry, its original impulses and resulting practices. Central to our investigation will be the relationship between poetry and re-writing, which we will investigate theoretically and practically. We will read poetry, from this country and from others, of dynamic relevance to this question. Each week will include substantial seminar discussion. Part of our work will be to write, and part of our work will be to find a way to be with poetry as readers and listeners. Splitting our class time between critical engagement with assigned texts and workshop, we will pursue our work intentionally and intuitively.

Grading

Grading will be based on class participation and on written work, which will include original poems (some based on assignments) and a work in prose.

Texts

Poetics, Aristotle
Whereas, Layli Longsoldier
Ariel, Sylvia Plath