English 550: Studies in Nineteenth Century English Literature: Romantic Poetry
Semester I, 1997-8 William Halloran

This focus of this course will be a careful and critical reading of selected poems and prose by the six major English poets of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century -- William Blake, William Wordsworth, S. T. Coleridge, John Keats, Percey Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron. Emphasis will be placed on comprehending the meaning of their writings, recognizing their special contributions to the course of literature in English, and appreciating the enormity of their accomplishments as artists. A secondary emphasis will be placed upon gaining a better understanding of the term "Romanticism" as it is used to describe a period or movement in all the arts of Europe. Works by some of the lesser poets of the age will be assigned for illustrative and contrastive purposes

Requirements

Students will be expected to attend all classes and read assigned texts before coming to class; to participate in class discussions and lead class discussions when called upon to do so; and to write (and revise if necessary) three short papers (5-7 pages) that make useful arguments about important aspects of individual poems. A final examination will give students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in the course. Final grades will be based on class attendance and participation (25%), papers (50%), and final examination (25%).