Study the English Canon of Poetry | Crash Course Syllabus for Spring 2024

Here is a brief update on the course that is currently running on Patreon. To all who have been watching online, thanks for following along!

If you'd like to join the live classroom, check out the link: www.patreon.com/CloseReadingPoetry

This survey course offers a foundational exploration of English poetry, tracing major developments from its Anglo-Saxon roots to contemporary verse. Through a broad yet engaging exploration, you'll gain insights into the literary contexts that shaped these poems, delve into major forms and genres, and sharpen your skills in analyzing poetic techniques. While the course focuses primarily upon English poetry, we will occasionally consider relevant poetry from Welsh, Scottish, Irish, and American traditions. Meetings will occur on the Zoom link provided on Patreon.

My goal is to help readers to:
(1) gain a foundational understanding of the historical development of English poetry, from its Anglo-Saxon roots to contemporary verse;

(2) identify and analyze major poetic forms and genres across different periods;

(3) explore the literary contexts that influenced the creation and meaning of poems;

(4) develop critical reading skills to enjoy and interpret poetic techniques (e.g., imagery, metaphor, symbolism, sound devices);

(5) recognize the influence of neighboring poetic traditions like Welsh, Scottish, Irish, and American poetry on English verse.

Meetings consist of a live lecture (30-50 minutes) followed by Q&A and discussion. Prior knowledge is helpful but not required. There are no assigned readings before each lecture.