English and drama

Encountering Poetry

Module code: Q3296
Level 4
30 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework

This module introduces the study of literature at university. We will reflect on and create close critical readings of poetry across a range of genres and periods, from the Renaissance to the present day, exploring works with very different forms, historical contexts, and political purposes.

Key questions for discussion are:

• what is a poem, and how has this changed over time?
• Who creates poetry, why, and for whom?
• How has poetry engaged with the world and sought to change it?

Authors studied may include T. S. Eliot, John Milton, Frank O’Hara, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, Jean Toomer, and M. NourbeSe Philip. We will guide you through the habits, skills, and methods of the degree programme so that you can get the most out of your time here.

Module learning outcomes

• Understand the types of learning and study you will be involved in during your degree
• Reflect on your preparedness to participate in that study
• Write close-reading essays in accordance with the teaching methods of the module
• Perform scholarly analysis of literary texts in a range of forms and from a range of historical periods