English 4/802: Modernist Poetry in English
Spring 2017
English 4/802:
Modernist Poetry in English
Spring 2017
Dr. Stephen Behrendt
319 Andrews; 472-1806
Office: 11 -12 TR
and by appointment
Email Dr. Behrendt
Kazimir Malevich, Still Life (1913)
Course Information
Main Text:
The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry; Volume I. Ed. Richard Ellmann, Robert O'Clair, and Jahan Ramazani. NOTE: Volume One only.
Required Supplementary Text:
Christopher Butler. Modernism: A Very Short Introduction.
Additional supplementary material will be available online and through occasional class handouts.
AIM:
The latter stages of the 19th century witnessed extraordinary historical, socio-political, philosophical and cultural changes that produced a dramatic – some would say cataclysmic – change in the trajectory of modern culture in the West. World War I was only one socio-political manifestation of this wrenching of culture, and the word “cataclysmic” certainly applies to that terrible, protracted historical agony. But while they were (mercifully) less deadly, the alterations in Western cultural life (and cultural production) were in fact hardly less cataclysmic. We will explore together the range and variety of Modernist poetry, tracing there the transition from Victorianism (in Britain) and from Realism and Naturalism (in the United States) into a distinctly “modern” poetry and poetics. During the semester we will examine the characteristic themes and aesthetic principles of Modernism in poetry, generally, against the backdrop of the complex developments in history, economics, science and industry, socio-political thought and its institutions, and aesthetics from the 1880s through World War I and the beginning of the Jazz Age.
TEACHING METHOD:
Principally discussion, with some directed contributions from everyone during the course of the semester, and perhaps some individual presentations – if the group as a whole seems willing. I expect to provide some occasional brief lectures and/or presentations to provide background and context for our in-class discussions. Let me stress that matter of discussion. I am committed to having our class sessions be primarily conversational in nature, and relatively informal and animated in nature; I believe that we work best and learn best when we work together as a study group – as colleagues and not as competitors. And I firmly believe that studying – in this and in any other course – is not a spectator sport but one that depends wholly on engagement and participation. To that end, I will reward consistent, thoughtful, generous and courteous participation in our work both in the classroom and outside it.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
NOTE: The nature and weights of the written requirements differ for undergraduate and graduate students, as indicated in the following pages.
(1) Consistent, engaged attendance.
(2) Preparation in advance of all assigned materials and participation in classroom discussions and activities.
(3) Two examinations, described in the following pages.
(4) A substantial research project, described in the following pages
(5) A descriptive and analytical Book Report, described in the following pages.
(6) A set of index cards, to be submitted daily, described in the following pages.
NOTE:
Your enrollment in this course constitutes your acceptance of the course requirements and grading expectations described here and in the following pages.
What You Can Expect to Do in This Course
The Department of English has articulated its expectations about what sort of skills, activities, and experiences students should expect to gain or sharpen in courses at various levels of the curriculum. For courses at the 400 level (like this one), you should expect to do the following:
● engage in an intensive study of the subject matter of late 19th- and early 20th-Century poetry in English, approaching the material in both broadly inclusive terms and in more narrowly focused ones;
● be aware that there are a variety of theoretical and critical approaches to the materials we will study and be able to apply at least one of these approaches to our work;
● understand the purposes of primary and secondary research and be able to carry out research appropriate to the subject of this course, demonstrating substantial engagement and competence with secondary scholarship;
● engage in critical academic discourse, both in the classroom and on paper, employing language and forms of discourse suitable to the assigned task and to an audience of educated adults.
About What I Expect from You
While I do not expect you to be familiar with any of our material in advance, I do expect you to know how to read literary works with some insight and sophistication about both subject matter and the formal features of the genres. I expect you to come to class, to talk about what you read, and to share with one another as we try to make greater sense of the material we will study over the course of the semester. This will require some effort from everyone. It is generally assumed that preparing for one’s university courses requires at minimum about three hours for every hour of class meeting time. That is probably about accurate for this course; if you cannot or will not make that sort of time commitment for preparing for classes, you may want to think about whether you should remain in the group.
Course Requirements
For UNDERGRADUATES:
1. A Midterm Examination, in the form of an essay you will write outside class time. You will have about a week to prepare your essay, on a topic I will provide. This examination counts for 25% of your course grade.
2. A Comprehensive Final Examination (i. e., covering all the course materials) and written during Final Examination week. This exam will include both “objective” questions (involving names, dates, details of texts and contexts, passages from required reading, and classroom discussions) and more “interpretive” questions in the form of two essay questions (you will be able to choose from multiple topics that I will probably circulate in advance). This examination counts for 25% of your course grade.
3. A substantial research-based course project, which will offer you the opportunity to study in greater detail some aspect of the course and its concerns that you consider especially relevant to your own personal interests and career objectives. This project will count for 30% of your course grade.
4. A descriptive and analytical Book Report on a full-length volume or collection selected from a list I will provide. This report, which you may submit at any time before 17 April (that’s a Monday), will count for 10% of your course grade.
5. A series of daily brief comments on the day’s assigned reading, to be submitted on an index card every day before the class begins. These cards will constitute 10% of your course grade.
For GRADUATES:
1. A Midterm Examination, in the form of an essay you will write outside class time. You will have about a week to prepare your essay, on a topic I will provide. This examination counts for 20% of your course grade.
2. An alternative, essay-based Final Examination, probably in the form of a directed summative essay assessing the evolution of Modernist poetry within the literary, cultural, and historical contexts of the period we will be studying. This examination counts for 15% of your course grade.
3. A substantial research-based course project, which will offer you the opportunity to study in greater detail some aspect of the course and its concerns that you consider especially relevant to your own personal interests and career objectives. This project will count for 45% of your course grade.
4. A descriptive and analytical Book Report on a full-length volume or collection selected from a list I will provide. This report, which you may submit at any time before 17 April (that’s a Monday), will count for 10% of your course grade.
5. A series of daily brief comments on the day’s assigned reading, to be submitted on an index card every day before the class begins. These cards will constitute 10% of your course grade.
A Note on Class Participation:
In keeping with the letter and the spirit of the Integrative Studies requirement, I consider your participation in our group work to be a vital part of this course, especially since the small size of this class is specifically intended to facilitate discussion. You can expect your final course grade to reflect the extent to which you have made consistent, helpful, and thoughtful contributions to our work.
Disclaimer Section
This course has been approved as an Integrative Studies course under the General Education program and meets the criteria for including and satisfying the following components:
1. Critical thinking which may include but is not limited to investigating arguments, engaging in research, gathering data, performing qualitative and quantitative analysis, assessing conclusions, analyzing controversies, exploring assumptions underlying beliefs and concepts, uncovering the origins and consequences of intellectual bias.
2. Writing on which the instructor comments.
3. Oral expression.
4. Consideration of human diversity appropriate to the subject matter of the course.
This course has also been certified for the Achievement Centered Education (ACE) program, instituted beginning fall 2009. (This is the “new” general education required of incoming students.)
By passing this course, you will fulfill ACE Learning Outcome 5: “Use knowledge, historical perspectives, analysis, interpretation, critical evaluation, and the standards of evidence appropriate to the humanities to address problems and issues.” Your work will be evaluated by the instructor according to the specifications described in this syllabus. At the end of the term, you may be asked to provide samples of your work for ACE assessment as well.
Department of English Policy on Class Attendance
“The Department of English expects students registered for English classes to attend all scheduled class meetings and to have a reasonable excuse for any absence. Instructors are expected to lower the grades of students who miss classes without reasonable excuses and to penalize any work turned in late because of such absences. Students who miss more than twenty percent of the scheduled class meetings of any course will ordinarily fail the course for that reason alone, except that (1) if absences occur before the Withdrawal Passing period ends, the student may receive a “W” grade, and (2) if the absences are excused by the instructor or approved UNL policy and a large majority of them occur after the work of the course has been substantially completed, the student may receive an Incomplete (“I”) grade. In both of these cases, it is assumed that the student meets the eligibility requirement stated in the Schedule of Classes. Members of the teaching staff may have more restrictive attendance policies than are here stated.”
You should know that I support this policy. I believe that, especially in a class like this one, the in-class work is a vital part of the overall course. Because of its interactive and unscripted nature, the in-class work cannot be “made up,” and if you choose to “blow off” the class attendance requirement, you will fail the course. Twenty percent of the “scheduled meetings” in a regular semester TRcourse equals six class periods; do keep that number in mind. I will.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor for a confidential discussion of their individual needs for academic accommodation. It is the policy of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln to provide flexible and individualized accommodation to students with documented disabilities that may affect their ability to fully participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. To receive accommodation services, students must be registered with the services for students with Disabilities (SSD) office, 132 Canfield Administration, 472-3787 voice or TTY.
Questions, Problems, Issues, etc.
If at any time you have questions about the course, my expectations, or your performance – as well as about anything else that may be relevant to our work as a class and/or your own individual work, goals, plans, or whatever – please feel free to speak with me privately. I will hold regular office hours at the announced times, but I am on campus most days until mid-afternoon and so we can generally arrange appointments at other mutually convenient times.