ENGL 211 A Introduction to Poetry

Transcription

1 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 1 ENGL 211 A Introduction to Poetry June Session June 1, 2015 July 25, 2014 Course Description Textbooks A comprehensive introduction to the elements and major writers of poetry of varying lengths. Prerequisite: None. Proctored Exams: Final Meyer, Michael. Poetry: An Introduction. 7 th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, ISBN: Dumanis, Michael & Cate Marvin, ed. Legitimate Dangers. 1 st ed. Louisville: Sarabande Books, ISBN: Textbooks for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order online at (be sure to select Online Education rather than your home campus before selecting your class) by phone at For additional information about the bookstore, visit Course Overview The course will provide a comprehensive introduction to the elements and major writers of poetry. With a strong focus on how to read, understand, and write about poetry, we will cover poems from all times periods, cultures, and voices. We will look closely at the forms and distinctive characteristics, with an emphasis on close readings of the texts. You will develop the ability to analyze, discuss, and write critically about poetry. We will look at classic and contemporary texts, make connections between poems from different literary periods, and consider each text s place in the literary canon. Technology Requirements Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia College: A computer with reliable Internet access, a web browser, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office. You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site.

2 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 2 Course Objectives To gain and demonstrate growing mastery of elements of poetry. To practice basic critical analysis and evaluation of poetry in a variety of ways. To demonstrate knowledge of poetry ranging from extremely short forms through the epic. To make connections between classic and contemporary texts. Measurable Learning Outcomes Identify and distinguish among poetic elements. Evaluate recursively the elements in poetry as they appear in repeated and different formats. Demonstrate through written exercises practical criticism of poetry. Demonstrate command of basic appropriate literary terms and elements. Grading Grading Scale GRADE POINTS PERCENT A B C D F Grade Weights ASSIGNMENT POINTS PERCENT Discussion Threads (16) % Quizzes (5) % Critical Essays (3) % Mid-term Exam (1) % Final Exam (1) % TOTAL % Schedule of Due Dates WEEK ASSIGNMENT POINTS DUE DATE 1 Discussion 1 10 Sunday Discussion 2 20 Sunday Quiz 1 50 Sunday 2 Discussion 3 10 Sunday Discussion 4 20 Sunday Quiz 2 50 Sunday 3 Discussion 5 10 Sunday Discussion 6 20 Sunday Critical Essay Sunday Quiz 3 50 Sunday 4 Discussion 7 10 Sunday Discussion 8 20 Sunday Mid-term Exam 100 Sunday 5 Discussion 9 10 Sunday Discussion Sunday Critical Essay Sunday

3 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 3 6 Discussion Sunday Discussion Sunday Quiz 4 50 Sunday 7 Discussion Sunday Discussion Sunday Quiz 5 50 Sunday Critical Essay Sunday 8 Discussion Saturday Assignment Overview Discussion Saturday Final Exam 100 Saturday TOTAL 1000 Discussion: Two per week. The ten-point discussion topics will address your knowledge of the readings (with a minimum word count of 100 words), while the 20-point discussions will address your understanding of your readings. The latter will be both longer and more involved with a minimum length of 200 words. You will need to reply to at least two posts submitted by your classmates in each discussion. Critical Essays: You will write 3 critical essays over the course of the session. These essays will require explication, definition, analysis, comparison, discussion, and imagination. Each essay should be between 800 and 1000 words in length. Quizzes: Five quizzes will cover the weekly readings and assess your understanding of the elements and forms of poetry as well as your understanding of specific poems from the readings. Mid-term and Final Exam: The midterm exam and final exams will include multiple choice, short answer, and short essay questions. The midterm will cover the readings from Weeks 1-4; the final will cover the readings from Weeks 5-8. You will have 2 hours to complete each exam. The final exam must be taken with a proctor. Course Schedule Week 1 Introduction/Reading Poetry Responsively Meyer: The Nature of Literature, pp. 1-3; The Value of Literature, pp. 4-7; Reading Poetry Responsively, pp ; The Pleasure of Words, pp ; Poetry in Popular Forms, pp Dumanis & Marvin: Preface by Mark Doty, pp. xxi-xxii; Introduction, pp. xxiii-xxxi; Rick Barot, pp. 3-8; Dan Beachy-Quick, pp. 9-13; Joshua Beckman, pp Discussion 1: Introduce yourself to the class, giving us enough information about you that you become a real person to us. Tell us about what kind(s) of poetry you have read and what kind(s) you like to read. Tell us why you prefer that/those kind(s). What else do you like to read? We need to be able to connect with one another, and this assignment is one way we can. Discussion 2: Consider Robert Francis On Hard Poetry on page 47 of the Meyer text. What is the distinction between hard and soft poetry? How would you categorize the

4 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 4 poems from this week s readings? Would you categorize these poems as hard or soft? Quiz 1: This quiz will cover the terms and ideas presented in this week s reading, and will require an understanding of specific poems. Week 2 Writing about Poetry Meyer: From Reading to Writing, pp ; Word Choice, Word Order, and Tone, pp ; Poetry s Appeal to the Senses, pp ; Figures of Speech, pp ; Symbol, Allegory, and Irony, pp ; Reading and the Writing Process, pp Dumanis & Marvin: Josh Bell, pp ; David Berman, pp ; Mark Bibbins, pp ; Oni Buchanan, pp ; Dan Chiasson, pp Discussion 3: Examine a poem from this week s reading. Describe the poet s word choice, word order, and tone. Consider the diction and indicate how the poet arranges the words to convey the poem s theme. Discussion 4: Examine a poem from this week s reading and characterize the poem s speaker. Identify the tone of the poem. Explain the literal meanings you find in the poem and then allow the elements of the poem to help you determine any symbolic readings of the work. Quiz 2: This quiz will cover the terms and ideas presented in this week s reading and will require an understanding of specific poems from the readings. Week 3 Listening to Poetry Meyer: Listening to Poetry, pp ; Rhyme, pp ; Sound and Meaning, pp ; Patterns of Rhythm, p. 211; Some Principles of Meter, pp ; Taking Essay Examinations, pp Dumanis & Marvin: Monica de la Torre, pp ; Timothy Donnelly, pp ; Ben Doyle, pp ; Thomas Sayers Ellis, pp ; Nick Flynn, pp Discussion 5: What is your own response to rhymed poetry? Do you like yours with or without? What do you think informs your preference? Illustrate your response with examples from this week s reading. Discussion 6: Review Louise Bogan s On Formal Poetry on page 234 of the Meyer text. Consider Bogan s thoughts of form, as you re-examine this week s reading, using two or three poems from the reading to illustrate your answer. Critical Essay 1 Consider David Lenson s On the Contemporary Use of Rhyme from pp of the Meyer text. In your essay you will need to address the following: When looking at some contemporary song lyrics from a wide range of groups or vocalists, is Lenson correct in his assessment that irregular rhyme is not much use in songwriting? Why or why not? Think of some of your favorite music. How does it correlate with what Lenson is stating? Examine the rhymed couplets of some rap music. Discuss whether they are used to sharpen social insight. What is the effect of using rhymes in rap music?

5 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 5 Be sure to be detailed and utilize the terminology from the text, as you focus on works from our weekly readings and contemporary music. Evaluate the rhythmic qualities of these works. This essay should be between 800 and 1000 words long. Submit the essay to the appropriate Dropbox. Quiz 3: This quiz will cover the terms and ideas presented in this week s reading, and will require an understanding of specific poems from the reading. Week 4 Poetic Forms : Meyer: Read Poetic Forms, pp Dumanis & Marvin: Arielle Greenberg. pp ; Matthea Harvey, pp ; Terrance Hayes, pp ; Thomas Heise, pp ; Brian Henry, pp Midterm Exam Week 5 Open Form Discussion 7: Select a poem from this week s reading and indicate how the poem s form is working in the piece. Describe how the poet uses form to organize their thoughts and ideas. How are you able to distinguish the poem s specific form from another poem s form? Discussion 8: Consider Marvin Bell s statement that a short poem need not be small. In reference to poetic form, how do you interpret this statement? Evaluate one or two poems from this week s reading and conclude how the poet utilizes form to convey larger meaning. How might form keep the poem from being small? This exam is found in the Quiz Section of the class. It will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and short essay questions, which focus on individual elements to enhance understanding of selections from the first four weeks of the course. You will have 2 hours to complete it. Meyer: Open Form pp ; Combining the Elements of Poetry: A Writing Process, pp Dumanis & Marvin: Major Jackson, pp ; Lisa Jarnot, pp ; A. Van Jordan, pp ; Noelle Kocot, pp ; Joyelle McSweeney, pp Discussion 9: Examine William Carlos Williams The Red Wheelbarrow. What depends upon the things mentioned in the poem? What is the effect of these images? Do they have a particular meaning? Do these lines have any kind of rhythm? How does this poem resemble a haiku? How is it different? Discussion 10: Select one open form poem from our weekly reading and one fixed form poem from our previous weekly readings. Identify how the poet organizes the poem. How does each poem present its theme? Does an open form poem allow the poet to write more freely? Why or why not? Critical Essay 2 Consider Walt Whitman s From I Sing the Body Electric on pages and his On Rhyme and Meter on page 267. In your essay you will need to address the following:

6 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 6 According to Whitman, what determines the shape of a poem? Why does Whitman prefer open forms over fixed forms such as the sonnet? Is Whitman s poetry devoid of any structure or shape? Examine From I Sing the Body Electric, as well as his other poems (which are listed in the index of Poetry: An Introduction) and indicate and explain which of his poems best illustrate your answers. This essay will require analysis. Be sure to be detailed and utilize the terminology from the text, as you focus on Whitman s works and the arrangement of his words on the page. Evaluate the rhythmic qualities of his poems, from the repetition of words, phrases, or grammatical structures to its discipline and shape. This essay should be between 800 and 1000 words long. Place the essay into the appropriate Dropbox. Week 6 Poetic Themes Meyer: Love and Longing, pp ; Humor and Satire, pp ; Crossing Boundaries, pp ; The Natural World, pp ; Tony Hoagland s America, p Dumanis & Marvin: Alan Michael Parker, pp ; D.A. Powell, pp ; Spencer Reece, pp ; Matthew Rohrer, pp ; Robyn Schiff, pp Discussion 11: Describe the central theme of Spencer Reece s poem The Clerk s Tale. Restate what happens in the poem and explain how the theme shifts from beginning to end. Discussion 12: Analyze Bob Hicok s poem Spam leaves an aftertaste and how it compares to Tony Hoagland s poem America. How would you categorize each poem? How are the poems similar? What distinguishes one from the other? Quiz 4: This quiz will cover the terms and ideas presented in this week s reading and will require an understanding of specific poems from the readings. Week 7 Contemporary Strategies and Approaches to Poetry Meyer: Critical Strategies for Reading pp Dumanis & Marvin: Read Brenda Shaughnessy, pp ; Richard Siken, pp ; Tracy K. Smith, pp ; Juliana Spahr, pp ; Natasha Tretheway, pp Discussion 13: Of all the critical strategies that we have studied in this section, which do you find most interesting? Which strategy allows for the most interaction with poem? Which strategy do you find most beneficial when looking at a poem? Discussion 14: What do you identify as the decisive factor in determining whether a work should be taught or not? What elements influence your decision? What factors should not be considered? Why? Critical Essay 3 This essay asks you to consider two poems. Identify the main features and content of the poems. Make sure to communicate a relationship between the two poems, giving equal balance to both.

7 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 7 Make detailed notes on each poem s theme and form, utilizing the terminology you have learned during this course. Use these notes to compare and contrast these two poems in reference to theme and form. What is effective or ineffective in each poet s work? Why? How does one poem reflect or contradict the other? How are the poet s goals similar? What are the poets trying to accomplish? This essay should be between 800 and 1000 words long. Place the essay into the appropriate Dropbox. Quiz 5: This quiz will cover the terms and ideas presented in this week s reading and will require an understanding of specific poems from the readings. Week 8 Strategies and Approaches in Poetry Applied Meyer: Contemporary Poems pp ; William Blake s The Garden of Love, p. 599 and Infant Sorrow, p. 599; E. E. Cummings Buffalo Bill s, p. 604; George Herbert s The Collar, pp ; Percy Bysshe Shelley s Ozymandias, p. 626; Wallace Stevens The Emperor of Ice-Cream, p. 628; Miller Williams Thinking about Bill, Dead of AIDS, p. 634; William Carlos Williams This is Just to Say, p. 634: William Wordsworth s I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, p. 635 and The Solitary Reaper, p. 636 Dumanis & Marvin: Joe Wenderoth, pp ; Rebecca Wolff, pp ; Kevin Young, pp ; Matthew Zapruder, pp ; Rachel Zucker, pp Final Exam Discussion 15: Review all of the readings we have had during this session. Do you have a favorite poem? Favorite poet? Explain and identify the elements that have drawn you to this work. Discussion 16: Consider the more classic works in reference to the contemporary poems we have covered in this course. What are the main differences in the work? What are the similarities? Should the two be studied together? Describe and identify the advantages and/or disadvantages of studying classic and contemporary works together. This exam is found in the Quiz Section of the class. It will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and short essay questions, which focus on selections from the final four weeks of the course. You will have 2 hours to complete it. This exam will need to be taken with a proctor.

8 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 8 Course Policies Student Conduct All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus Life) at The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment, and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette. Plagiarism Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work (papers, journals, exams, etc.) are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from the College. Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course should be particularly careful. All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site. Non-Discrimination There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status. Disability Services Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) Until the student has been cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not feasible. Online Participation You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your instructor know as soon as possible. Attendance Policy Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment for which points have been earned during that week of the session or if the proctoring information has been submitted or the plagiarism quiz taken if there is no other assignment due that week. A class week is

9 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 9 defined as the period of time between Monday and Sunday (except for Week 8, when the week and the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system deadlines are all based on the Central Time Zone. Cougar All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You are responsible for monitoring from that account for important messages from the College and from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar account to another account; however, the College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other providers. Students should use for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about any given topic and respond. Late Assignment Policy An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your classmates to regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of the online communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the schedule of work for the class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of reading and writing to successfully complete the class. The grades for assignments submitted late will be reduced by 5% of the total points possible for the assignment each day it is late. After 5 days, a late assignment can no longer be submitted. Due to the criteria and timeframes of discussion posts and responses, no credit can be awarded for late submissions to the discussion forum. Course Evaluation You will have the opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. Course evaluations will open on Sunday of Week 5 and will remain open until Thursday of Week 7. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Be assured that the evaluations are anonymous and that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are submitted. Proctor Policy Students taking courses that require proctored exams must submit their completed proctor request forms to their instructors by the end of the second week of the session. Proctors located at Columbia College campuses are automatically approved. The use of Proctor U services is also automatically approved. The instructor of each course will consider any other choice of proctor for approval or denial. Additional proctor choices the instructor will consider include: public librarians, high school or college instructors, high school or college counseling services, commanding officers, education service officers, and other proctoring services. Personal friends, family members, athletic coaches and direct supervisors are not acceptable. Additional Resources Orientation for New Students This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one opens.

10 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 10 Technical Support If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available within the online course environment. CCHelpDesk@ccis.edu ex helpdesk@desire2learn.com Online Tutoring Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to all Columbia College students. Smarthinking provides real-time online tutoring and homework help for Math, English, and Writing. The Writing Center can be used for writing assistance in any course. Smarthinking also provides access to live tutorials in writing and math, as well as a full range of study resources, including writing manuals, sample problems, and study skills manuals. You can access the service from wherever you have a connection to the Internet. I encourage you to take advantage of this free service provided by the college. Access Smarthinking through CougarTrack under Students->Academics->Academic Resources. Grading Criteria Discussion Postings CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS Knowledge Displays a familiarity of the readings and topic. 4 Expression of Ideas Participation Clearly and concisely demonstrates a desire to engage with the topic. 2 Responded to at least two other postings with comments that are insightful and thoughtful. Length Meets the minimum word count of 100 words. 2 TOTAL 10 2 CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS Understanding Expression of Ideas Participation Substantive post, reflecting an understanding of the readings that advances the discussion of the topic Clearly demonstrates an ability to interact with the topic and engage in an exchange of ideas. Responded to at least two other postings with comments that are insightful and thoughtful Length Meets the minimum word count of 200 words. 4 TOTAL 20 Critical Essays CRITERIA DESCRIPTION POINTS 8 4 4

11 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 11 Content Format Provides thoughtful, analytical considerations of readings/topic. Wellwritten critical analysis, showing evidence of informed thinking. Organizes ideas, allowing reader to follow chain of reasoning and has focused thesis statement that responds to the assignment. Mechanics Is relatively free of sentence and word-level errors. 10 Instructions Meets assignment length and follows instructions. 10 TOTAL