Voice from the Tomb (5)

A Soul earthbound by the grievance of never having been important.

You never heard of me, I dare
Say. Well, I'm here.

ENG 373:
Modern British & Irish Poetry

Dr. Suzanne W. Churchill
Spring 2005
Tues./Thurs. 2:30-3:45 a.m.
Chambers 3234

This class will depart from the broad survey in order to pursue a more in-depth examination of eight modern British and Irish poets: W.B. Yeats, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Stevie Smith, Philip Larkin, Derek Walcott, Seamus Heaney, and Carol Ann Duffy. Cognizant of the current international crisis, we will focus our inquiry on the relationship between poetry and politics. Does poetry have anything to say about political crisis and conflict? Is its function to diagnose, cure, restore, or relieve? Or is poetry ineffectual as a social and political force, as Auden implies when he writes, “poetry makes nothing happen.” Taking into consideration relevant biographical and historical texts, we will study each poet in relation to the prominent political issues of the day. We will consider not only national and international politics, but also the politics of gender, race, class, and sexuality.

How to reach me:
My office is in Carolina Inn 204, ext. 2595.
My office hours are Mondays 1:30-3:30, Wednesdays 9-11:30, and Fridays 11-noon.
If these times conflict with your schedule, you may schedule an appointment.
For quick, factual clarifications, but not for advice or conferences, you may contact me by e-mail at suchurchill@davidson.edu. In emergencies, you may call me at home, 704-896-3993 (between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.).
The syllabus is on the web at www.davidson.edu/academic/english/faculty/churchill_home/ENG372_S05_syllabus.htm. It contains links to electronic reserve readings and other resources.
Our class distribution list is ENG372_S05@davidson.edu. When you send a message to this list, it goes to every member of the class, including me. Please use this list to contact me with any questions about the course, especially clarifications of readings, assignments, and due dates. Chances are, if you're confused, someone else is too.

Required texts:
Yeats' Poetry, Drama, and Prose (Norton)
T. S. Eliot: Collected Poems, 1902-1962 (Harcourt Brace & Co.)
W. H. Auden, Selected Poems (Vintage)
Stevie Smith: Collected Poems (New Directions)
Collected Poems: Philip Larkin (Noonday)
Derek Walcott, Collected Poems, 1948-1984 (Noonday)
Seamus Heaney, Open Ground: Selected Poems, 1966-1996 (Farrar Straus and Giroux)
Carol Ann Duffy, The World's Wife (Faber and Faber)
Derek Attridge, Poetic Rhythm: An Introduction (Cambridge UP)

Recommended texts:
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 4th edition, ed. Gibaldi
A good dictionary with etymologies, such as Webster's New World College Dictionary
A good handbook of literary terms, such as Abrams, Oxford, or Bedford
The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, eds. Preminger and Brogan

Books on Course Reserve :
Anthology of Twentieth-Century British & Irish Poetry, ed. by Keith Tuma

Class Participation:
Do the reading. Come to class. Dig into poetry.
You may miss two classes without directly lowering your grade—you don't need to provide any excuses. But use those absences wisely, because except in the case of verifiable hardship (e.g. Dean's or doctor's excuse), each absence after two lowers your final grade by 1/3 of a letter. For instance, a student with a B- final grade who missed three classes would earn a C+ for the semester.

Assignments, Papers, & Reviews:
I. Readings: I have listed specific poems that you should read closely and analyze. A "+" sign after a list of titles indicates that you should also read around with in the time period specified.

II. Distribution list postings: I will post some questions and topics concerning the readings. Rather than doing more formal postings, you should keep in regular communication with the class in between meetings. Use the distribution list to post comments, reactions, and questions. Because of the small class size, we have the opportunity to use the distribution list as a collaborative reading journal. Your postings to this ongoing electronic conversation will count toward your participation grade.

III. Papers: You will write two shorter papers (5-p.) and one longer research paper (10-p.). You will also prepare an abstract and annotated bibliography for the research paper, evaluate each other's abstracts, and participate in a writing workshop.

All papers must be typed in a standard 12-point font, double-spaced with one-inch margins, and stapled. CITE YOUR SOURCES. All papers must provide complete bibliographic citations for ALL materials used, including the primary work(s) discussed, following MLA Style (Although style manuals are available in the reference section of the library, I urge you to purchase your own). You are encouraged to see me for help, to use the Writing Center, and to exchange papers with classmates in this class ONLY, provided you indicate in your pledge who helped you and how.

IV. Reviews: There will be an open-book, take-home review.

V. Poetry Performance: To be appreciated fully, a great deal of poetry must be read aloud. You will perform two poems of your choice. To earn an A, you must recite the poem with expression. To earn a B, you may recite the poem with expression and a few minor errors. Reciting without much expression or with repeated stumbles earns a C, and so on. On the day of your receitation, you must also submit a one-page statement explaining what aspects of the poem you were trying to emphasize and how.

VI. Dramatic Monologue: At the end of the course, you will perform one of Carol Ann Duffy's dramatic monologues, or compose and perform your own.

Due dates are listed in the syllabus. Work handed in after these deadlines will be considered late and will be marked down a full letter grade for each day late. If you need an extension, you must clear it with me a week before the assignment is due. NOTE: The Carolina Inn is open from 8 a.m.–5 p.m., M–F, and locked nights and weekends. If you need to drop off or pick up a paper, make sure you get there before lock-up.

Grade Breakdown:
Short Papers (2 @ 12.5% each) - 25%
Term Paper (abstract @ 5% + paper @ 25%) - 30%
Midterm Review - 15%
Recitation - 10%
Dramatic Monologue - 5%
Participation - 15%

Philip Larkin: love and sex
Poems: Waiting for breakfast, Love Songs In Age, Whitsun Weddings, Talking In Bed, Sunny Prestatyn, This Be The Verse +
Primary Sources: Time Magazine, "A Salute to 'Swinging London'"; Viscount Eccles, "The Menace of Pornography" [ER]

Philip Larkin: faith and innocence
Poems: Church Going, Faith Healing, High Windows, Forget What Did +
Recitation: Katie Eastland, "Faith Healing"
Literary Event: David Galef, novelist, 7:30 p.m., 900 Room

Derek Walcott
A Map of Europe, Gaughin, Watteau +
Primary Sources: paintings by Gaughin & Watteau [Web Museum]
Recitation: Jessica Straus

Carol Ann Duffy
Poems: The World's Wife (all poems)
Recitation: Aparna Iyer