Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Eligibility for ENGL 1A
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Develops a critical appreciation of poetry as genre through study of selected poets and historical periods; examines poetic structures, styles, themes, and contexts. Students read representative works in English as well as selected works in translation. (CSU, UC)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Identify and distinguish fundamental elements and forms of poetry.
  • CSLO #2: Identify, interpret and analyze poetry in cultural, social, political, historical and critical contexts.

Effective Term

Fall 2018

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

1. Identify the fundamental elements of poetry, including poetic devices, forms, and themes
2. Identify, interpret and analyze traditional/closed forms and free verse/open forms
3. Identify and analyze different genres, types, and eras of poetry
4. Identify, interpret and analyze poetry in cultural, social, political, and critical contexts
5. Analyze the relationships between culture and poetic form and function
6. Identify, interpret, and apply knowledge of poetic devices to the analysis of individual poems and the collected works of individual poets and schools of poetry
7. Identify, interpret, and analyze the themes of individual poems and poets
8. Conduct independent research in poetry
9. Interpret, analyze, and evaluate primary and secondary sources in poetry
10. Synthesize and generalize about themes and forms of poetry across time, across thematic periods, and across works by various authors
11. Communicate analyses, interpretations and critiques of single works or several works by the same author, or of several closely related texts in class discussion and in required essays and exams

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Literature & Language
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE - C2 Humanities
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
      • IGETC - 3B Humanities

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: Students will go to poets.org and find a closed form (Shakespearean Sonnet, Sestina, Villanelle, Haiku, Slam, Prose)--they will present the poem to the class, presenting how the work belongs within the closed form genre, and provide students with a class activity to help analyze the poem and connect to critical theories with which to analyze poetry.
    • Essay Examinations
      • Example: Research the work and life of any one poet and write a 4 to 6-page essay, focusing on a particular poetic element, his or her place within a period, influences, etc., using at least three pieces of criticism to support the thesis. Students are provided a Rubric of assignment requirements that should be met.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: Two exams that include definitions of poetic terms, analysis of poetry through short answers incorporating poetic terms and concepts, and essay response providing analysis of individual poems and contexts. 21. In Sherman Alexie’s poem “Home of the Brave” below, answer the following: a)Who is the speaker of the poem? b)Is this an open or closed form? c)What does the speaker mean in the last stanza? “Home of the Brave” – Sherman Alexie When my female friends are left By horrid spouses and lovers, I commiserate. I send gifts— Powwow songs and poems—and wonder Why my gorgeous friends cannot find Someone who knows them as I do. Is the whole world deaf and blind? I tell my friends, “I’d marry you Tomorrow.” I think I’m engaged To thirty-six women, my harem: Platonic, bookish, and enraged. I love them! But it would scare them— No, of course, they already know That I can be just one more boy, A toy warrior who explodes Into silence and warpaths with joy.
    • Reports
      • Example: Write a 4 - 6-page overview of a poet and/or poetry in translation, analyzing the poet in terms of such features as language (as translated), the impact of culture, and the development of poetic style, etc. Students are provided a rubric with specific requirements to be met.

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lecture:

    1. Through lecture, discussion seminars, directed study, activities, and tutoring, students will discuss, analyze and compare and contrast poetry in English as well as selected translations from a variety of subjects and styles. Critical Thinking: Instructor lectures and leads discussion of assigned readings of individual poems and poets, criticism, and other contextual material. Instructor requires students to analyze poetry in groups, discuss interpretations, and present findings to the class. Reading: Instructor assigns regular readings of poetry and criticism, lectures on concepts associated with the reading, leads discussion. Instructor requires students to respond to prompts and discussion questions prior to reading and before group and class discussion. Writing: Instructor requires students to write brief informal responses to readings, formal essays, researched critical analyses, comparison and contrast, and essay exams.

    Distance Learning

    1. Students will study the poetry terms: simile, metaphor, analogy, alliteration, assonance, consonance, symbols, themes. Instructor will post videos of popular songs with closed captioning, along with typed lyrics in Discussion Board. Students will identify poetry elements within the song lyrics. The idea is that students are not fearful of music, and this assignment serves as a nice introduction into poetry and how to identify terms.

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    1. Read Theodore Roethke's "All Morning," Gary Snyder's "Magpie Song," and Linda Pastan's "The Birds." How does each poem rely on bird metaphors to introduce themes? Use specific line references from each poem. 2. Read Tony Hoagland's TWENTY POEMS THAT COULD SAVE AMERICA: AND OTHER ESSAYS and Ben Lerner's WHY PEOPLE HATE POETRY as a framework/theme for the course.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    1. Analyze in 2 - 3 pages one of Shakespeare's sonnets, focusing on one or two poetic elements (tone and persona, for example). Use line references in MLA format with specific examples. 2. Compare and contrast Alberto Rios' sestina "Nani" with Elizabeth Bishop's "Sestina." How does the form help develop the situation in each poem? How does each poem present its grandmother? How do the themes differ? Write 4 - 6 pages, referencing at least three pieces of literary criticism, using MLA format and citing specifically to support your points. 3. Using Tony Hoagland's and Ben Lerner's writings, specifically "what poems can save America" and "how can people learn to like poetry" as it relates to the poems studied throughout the semester. Students will have to defend their choices using poetic elements, critical theories and other critical thinking skills along with specific lines from selected poems and writings studied throughout the semester.

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Sample Project: Choose a poet in translation from the text. Read ten or more poems by that poet and analyze in 4 - 5 pages any of the poetic elements such as form, diction, symbol, speaker, themes, etc., that uniquely represent the poet’s style, language and culture. Use the text, class notes and any outside sources you may need in your analysis. Semester-Long Project--students randomly are assigned an academically recognized poet--they will have five assignments to complete as part of this project with varying due dates throughout the semester. a. students must complete an annotated bibliography for their selected poet; b. student must research and familiarize him/her/themselves with a literary theory with which to analyze their poet's poetry; student will write an informative process paper to introduce how critical theory is performed and what it hopes to help readers discover; c. students will develop an "understanding" of the poet and create a poet bio as they understand the poet -- beyond basic wikipedia information; d. student will select three poems from selected poet and critical analyze the work through the lens of the selected literary theory (5-10 pages); create a works cited/consulted page using 8th edition MLA; e. finally student will present for the class the poet/poetry visual/oral understanding of their study for their final.

    Required Materials

    • The Norton Anthology of Poetry
      • Author: Margaret Ferguson Ph.D., Tim Kendall, Mary Jo Salter
      • Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
      • Publication Date: 2018
      • Text Edition: 6th
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Poems, Poets, Poetry: An Introduction & Anthology
      • Author: Helen Vendler
      • Publisher: Bedford Books
      • Publication Date: 2010
      • Text Edition: 3rd
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • An Introduction to Poetry
      • Author: X.J. Kennedy
      • Publisher: Longman
      • Publication Date: 2010
      • Text Edition: 13th
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Studying Poetry
      • Author: Stephen Matterson
      • Publisher: Bloomsbury
      • Publication Date: 2011
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • The Poet's Companion
      • Author: Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux
      • Publisher: Norton
      • Publication Date: 1997
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Twenty Poems That Could Save America and Other Essays
      • Author: Tony Hoagland
      • Publisher: Graywolf Press
      • Publication Date: 2014
      • Text Edition:
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.