Montgomery County Community College
ENG 235 CC Poetry
Syllabus for Fall 2003
Instructor:
Peter C. Scheponik
Credentials:
BS Secondary Education, Villanova University
Masters in the Teaching of English, Villanova University
28 years experience teaching
Office:
P 452
Phone:
215-619-7439
E-mail:
Office Hours/Days:
452 Parkhouse Hall
M: 2:00 p.m.—3:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
MW: 11:15a.m.—12:15 p.m.
TTH: 2:15 p.m.—3:15 p.m.
And upon request
Class Days/Times:
P324
MWF: 10:10 a.m.—11:05 a.m.
Texts:
Contemporary American Poetry, ed. by A. Poulin Jr. and Michael Waters
Contemporary Guide to Literary Terms by Barton
Course Description:
The course will include a study of the techniques and styles of poetry as a means of understanding human experience. The course will be a survey of poems selected because of the insights and revelations which they provide. The course will also provide appropriate background information and instruction in types, techniques, and styles of poetic composition with special emphasis on the relationship of these matters to the poetic vision of each work.
Attendance:
· Since performance/explication/analysis/discussion/attendance form 50% of the grade for the course, attendance for all classes is required. Should there be an emergency(ies), the student must inform the instructor of the reason(s). It is up to the instructor to excuse or not excuse the absence.
· Each unexcused absence will lower a student’s final average for the course by one full letter grade.
· Four or more unexcused absences will result in a final grade of “W” or “F.”
Course Requirements:
· Regular attendance/regular participation: attentive listening, completing required readings, performing, explicating, analyzing, and discussing ideas during each class session.
· Two (2) oral performance/explications: one explication for a single poem by each of the poets assigned with a printout of a Web site or short biographical sketch of the poet and a one page outline of points being explicated about the poem.
· One (1) objective final that includes short definitions, identifications, and explications.
Expectations:
· Each student will be assigned two specific poets. The student must then select a particular poem from that poet to present to the class. The presentation will involve an oral performance of the poem by the student, followed by an explication of the poem according to critical approach, tone, style, voice, form, imagery, and theme of the poet. Explication will be followed by class analysis and discussion of the poem as an expression of the human experience, generating the sharing of opinions and interpretations.
· Students will be required to find some biographical background information about their assigned poets to be shared with the class.
· Students will provide an outline of their explications of the poems they have chosen to perform.
· Students will be required to take one objective final exam at the end of the semester.
· There will be one to three “coffee house” experiences, where students may perform their own work or that of another poet.
Grading:
Attendance/participation – 50%
Poetry performances– 25%
Final – 25%
Objectives:
· This course will familiarize students with the application of literary devices in the explication/analysis of modern American poetry.
· This course will introduce students to common critical approaches used in literary analysis.
· This course will engender an understanding of the meaning of universality as applied to the poetic experience.
· This course will develop a deeper awareness of the form, purpose, and process of poetry and the cathartic and philosophic dimensions it offers humanity.
· This course will seek to engender a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the promise of personal fulfillment that poetry offers all of us, while enkindling the muse that each of us houses in his/her heart.
Behavior:
· Building community is essential.
· People who value others and themselves have a tendency to flourish.
· The ability to nurture fosters intellectual, emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual well being.
· We will all work together to create a sense of genuine community in this class.
· No bias or bigotry will be tolerated.
· Plagiarism/cheating on the final will result in an “F” for the course.
Students with Disabilities Policy:
“Students with disabilities may be eligible for accommodation in this course. Contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Counseling Center, College Hall, at (215) 641-6575/6577 for more information. At West Campus, contact the Director of Student Affairs, (610) 718-1839.”
Academic Ethics:
Please read the attached documentation for explanation of cheating, plagiarism, and the consequences involved.
Course Schedule:
Wednesday, 9/3
Introduction/explication of syllabus
Definition of literary terms
Introduction to critical approaches
Friday, 9/5
Robert Haas pp. 201-208.
Sharon Olds pp. 403-409
Gerald Stern pp. 521-529
Monday, 9/8
Ai pp. 3-8
A.R. Ammons pp. 11-17
Wednesday, 9/10
John Ashberry pp. 19-32
Marvin Bell pp. 33-38
John Berryman pp. 41-47
Monday, 9/15
Elizabeth Bishop pp.49-57
Robert Bly pp.59-65
Wednesday, 9/17
Gwendolyn Brooks pp.67-73
Olga Broumas pp. 75-83
Friday, 9/19
Lucille Clifton pp. 85-91
Robert Creeley pp.93-97
Monday, 9/22
James Dickey pp. 101-106
Stephen Dobyna pp. 109-116
Wednesday, 9/24
Rita Dove pp. 119-125
Alan Dugan pp. 127-132
Friday, 9/26
Carol Frost pp. 135-143
AllenGinsberg pp. 145-152
Monday, 9/29
Louise Gluck pp. 155-160
Albert Goldbarth pp. 163-169
Wednesday, 10/1
Kimiko Hohn pp. 173-180
Donald Hall pp. 183-189
Friday, 10/3
Michael Harper pp. 191-198
Robert Hayden pp. 211-217
Monday, 10/6
William Heyen pp. 219-227
Andrew Hudgins pp. 229-235
Wednesday, 10/8
Richard Hugo pp. 237-242
David Ingatow pp. 245-251
Friday, 10/10
Donald Justice pp. 253-259
Galway Kinnell pp. 261-267
Carolyn Kizer pp. 271-274
Bill Knott pp. 279-285
Yusef Komunyakoa pp. 287-292
Maxine Kumin pp. 295-301
Stanley Kunitz pp. 301-310
Li-Young Lee pp. 313-319
Monday, 10/20
Denise Levertov pp. 321-326
Philip Levine pp. 329-336
Wednesday, 10/22
John Logan pp. 339-344
Robert Lowell pp. 347-351
Friday, 10/24
William Matthews pp. 355-360
James Merrill pp. 363-368
Monday, 10/27
W.S. Merwin pp. 371-377
Marilyn Nelson pp. 379-384
Wednesday, 10/29
Naomi Shihab Nye pp. 387-393
Frank O’Hara pp. 395-400
Friday, 10/31
Carl Philips pp. 411-419
Sylvia Plath pp. 421-425
Monday, 11/3
Adrienne Rich pp. 429-436
Anne Sexton pp. 439-445
Wednesday, 11/5
Charles Simic pp.447-453
Louis Simpson pp. 455-462
Friday, 11/7
W.D. Snodgrass pp.467-473
Gary Snyder pp. 475-483
Monday, 11/10
Gary Soto pp. 485-491
Elizabeth Spires pp. 493-500
David St. John pp. 503-509
William Stafford pp. 513-519
Friday, 11/14
Mark Strand pp. 531-537
Ellen Bryant Voigt pp. 539-545
Monday, 11/17
Richard Wilbur pp. 547-553
C.K. Williams pp. 555-562
Wednesday, 11/19
Charles Wright pp. 565-572
James Wright pp. 575-583
Conferences on oral presentations
Monday, 11/24
Oral presentations
Wednesday, 11/26—Sunday, 11/30
Thanksgiving Holiday
Monday, 12/1
Oral presentations
Wednesday, 12/8
Oral presentations
Friday, 12/10
Final due
Monday, 12/12
Conferences