ENGL 102. 02: Introduction to Literary Scholarship, Spring 2014
Hande Tekdemir, hande.tekdemir@boun.edu.tr
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce students to the reading, appreciation, and analysis of
poetry. We will learn poetic elements and analysis techniques as we discuss different
poems. The goals of the course are 1) to recognize the relationship between the form and
content of a poem 2) to have introductory knowledge about poetic modes and forms 3) to
be able to compare and contrast various poems taught in class.
Evaluation and Requirements:
Class Participation
Midterm Paper
Final
Quizzes and assignments
% 15
% 35
% 30
% 20
In order to qualify to take the final exam, the students are required to attend %75 of the
classes and submit the midterm paper.
Also, homework will be announced in class. In case of absence, it is your responsibility
to 1) contact a friend about what was assigned for the following class and 2) submit your
homework at the beginning of the class on the day it is due.
Please note that class content and course policies are subject to modification.
Schedule of Readings:
The course reader is at the library photocopy shop. All the poems and the readings
assigned for class are in the reader. You are only responsible for the poems discussed in
class. You are expected to check the schedule regularly and do the readings before
coming to class. Throughout the semester, I might change the schedule –take out some
poems and assign a few additional ones.
Week 1:Feb. 19-22
Word Choice + Tone
Course Reader, page 13-17
Week 2:Feb. 26-Mar.1
Syntax and the Poetic Line + Structure
Course Reader, page 19-30
Week 3: March 5-8
Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Personification
Course Reader 31-37
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Week 4: March 12-15
Imagery + Imagism as a Poetic Movement
Course Reader page 39-54
Week 5: March 19-22
Verse Forms: The Sonnet + Villanelle + Ballad
Course Reader page 55-64 (the sonnet); page 65-69 (villanelle); page 71-81 (ballad)
Week 6: March 26-29
Sound and Music in Poetry
Course Reader page 82-96
Week 7: April 2-5
Shaping Forms: Ode + Elegy
Course Reader page 97-100
Week 8: April 9-12
Parody
Course Reader page 101-110
Week 9: April 16-19
Gender and Poetic Voice
Course Reader page 111-128
SPRING BREAK
Week 10: Apr.30-May 3
Poetry and Personal Identity: Is the poet’s biography
important?
Course Reader page 141-146
Week 11: May 7-10
Race and Ethnicity in Poetry
Course Reader 147-155
Week 12: May 14-17
History and Regionality in Poetry, Case Studies: poems by
Irish poets, Ciaran Carson and Eavan Boland
Course Reader page 157-162
Week 13: May 21-23
One Concept, Different Approaches: Poems About War
Course Reader page 163-167
Online Resources:
Representative Poetry Online: http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/display/
Modern + Contemporary American Poetry: http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/home.html
The Poet’s Corner: http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/
Poetry Archives: http://www.emule.com/poetry/
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