English 190

Other Readings and Media

Ramazani, J.: Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry, Volume 1, third edition; a course reader

Description

"Nothing changes from generation to generation except the thing seen and that makes a composition," Gertrude Stein writes in "Composition as Explanation," insisting that "each generation has something different at which they are all looking." This course paints an international and interdisciplinary picture of Modernism through the lens of its poetry. We will read some of the key British, American, and Continental poets of Modernism, attentive to their aesthetic and thematic preoccupations and aversions, in order to provide a sketch of the many differences--historical, technological, and psychological--that characterize the period. We'll also consider a few of the harbingers of Modernist poetics, as well as some of its postmodern inheritors. Our readings in Modernist poetry and poetics will lead us into further discussions about the period's many transformations to the production and reception of poetry as a genre.

English 190 replaced English 100 and 150 as of Fall '09. English majors may fulfill the seminar requirement for the major by taking one section of English 190 (or by having taken either English 100 or English 150 before Fall '09). Please read the paragraph on page 2 of this Accouncement of Classes for more details about enrolling in, or wait-listing for, this course.