The purpose of this course is to expose you to British poetry from the 1780s to the 1830s.  The first part of the course is organized thematically and the second part is organized by major authors.  We will strive to discover qualities, methods, and themes that unify the literature of the Romantic period, struggle with defining what “romanticism” means (like many readers and critics before us) and even question the logic of cordoning off literature into periods and movements.  We will also connect the texts to the social, historical, and cultural occurrences that are contemporary to our selections and examine the interplay between words and “real life.”  Understanding how “life” during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries is both similar and different to “life” during the early twenty-first century will often be a springboard into our discussions. 

Throughout the semester, we will uncover various useful approaches to the works with the idea in mind that while there is no one correct reading, some readings are more convincing than others, and other interpretations are even completely implausible.  By the term’s end, I hope you can

• read poems closely so that you can use evidence and explanation to argue effectively for your particular reading(s) of texts in writing and orally;

• discuss the features that unify some Romantic poetry into a cohesive category and be able to question this cohesion;

• explain how the poetry of the major writers is unified by particular aesthetic and thematic features;

• connect poems to important biographical features of individual poet’s lives;

• connect individual poems to historical and cultural events that helped shaped the period

• elucidate the similarities and difference between “life” during the Romantic period and life today

My teaching methods are student-centered.  I will very rarely lecture.  As you will soon discover, I don’t claim to have all the answers.  I have more experience reading than most of you, but I continue to learn and experience new pleasures every time I read or re-read a poem, novel, or essay.  As the course progresses I hope to learn from you just as you learn from each other and me. To facilitate this mutual learning, I have designed this class to be student-driven.  On some days we will have large group discussions, on others we will work in small groups.  On one or two occasions we might view a film.  Outside of class we will have discussions in an on-line format via e-mail.  You will respond to our readings with prompts I (or peers) provide, and everyone in the class will be able to read and respond to your ideas.

Attendance: Your participation in this course is essential, and as a result, so is attendance.  In the event of illness or other mitigating circumstances, you are allowed to miss three class periods without penalty.  Each subsequent absence after three will result in W or WF in the class.  I do not attempt to distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused” absences—it is assumed that when you miss class, you have a good reason for doing so.  Your three absences are to be used for the inevitable doctor’s visits, illnesses, sports events, court appointments, and funerals that may come up during the semester. Extraordinary circumstances will be dealt with on a one-to-one basis. If you plan to be absent, you should tell me beforehand, so you can submit work ahead of time.  I do not accept late work.  You may not make up quizzes.