Introductory seminar course: PS: Renaissance Poetry - Details

Introductory seminar course: PS: Renaissance Poetry - Details

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General information

Course name Introductory seminar course: PS: Renaissance Poetry
Semester WS 2023/24
Current number of participants 21
maximum number of participants 25
Home institute Englische Literaturwissenschaft
participating institutes ZZZ_Literaturwissenschaft (Anglistik/Amerikanistik)
Courses type Introductory seminar course in category Teaching
First date Tuesday, 24.10.2023 14:00 - 15:30, Room: (D 1003)
Pre-requisites *EAS-1411*:
If you are allotted to this course, it is mandatory to attend the corresponding Übung "Poetry Analysis". Be sure to keep this slot free in your timetable. In order to sign up for the Übung, please send an email to your instructor.
Performance record thesis paragraphs, portfolio/research essay
Veranstaltung findet in Präsenz statt / hat Präsenz-Bestandteile Yes
Hauptunterrichtssprache englisch
ECTS points 6

Rooms and times

(D 1003)
Tuesday: 14:00 - 15:30, weekly (14x)

Module assignments

Comment/Description

As elsewhere in Europe, the Renaissance period in England (roughly the 16th and early 17th centuries), its various technological advancements and social and political changes brought about the flourishing of the arts and literature to a hitherto unseen extent. It was a time of change and progress, the dawn of modernity (hence it is also called the Early Modern period), and it gave us some of the most famous poets of the English language.
In this course we will look at the status of poetry and its functions in the English Renaissance, but also at how poetic language gains traction and how it may affect readers. How do the conceits (extended metaphors that structure the entire poem) that were popular at the time work to convey emotions and ideas? What is the effect of the use of highly unusual poetic images (e.g. fleabites for lovemaking or a compass for parting lovers) by the so-called ‘metaphysical poets’? What status did poetry have in a world that valued the arts, but at the same time saw the rise of rationality and the sciences so that for the first time in the English language a “Defence of Poesy” (Sidney) was written?
Within the broad field that is Renaissance poetry the focus of this course will be on the sonneteers (in particular Sidney, Spenser and Shakespeare) and on the metaphysical poets (particularly Donne and Marvell) as well as on a couple of lesser-known 17th-century poets. We want to find out what ideas shaped their poetic imagination and how these ideas were worked into poetry.

Students who attend this class are strongly recommended to also attend this semester's Poetry Analysis class in which we will focus on perfecting your skills in the formal analysis and interpretation of poems.

Admission settings

The course is part of admission "ALW/ELW/NELK: Aufbaumodul BA/LA: PS".
Studierende der Anglistik/Amerikanistik und des Faches Englisch können sich bereits während der vorgezogenen Anmeldephase zur Sicherstellung des Studienfortschritts für die Aufbau- und Vertiefungsmodule anmelden. Hierzu wird ein gewisses Kontingent der Kursplätze im Zeitraum vom 21.08.2023 bis 30.08.2023 für die Anmeldung geöffnet. Die Verteilung der Plätze erfolgt am 01.09.2023. Bitte beachten Sie, dass in dieser Anmeldephase Studierende in höheren Fachsemestern bei der Verteilung der Plätze priorisiert werden.
Die allgemeine Anmeldephase beginnt am 04.09.2023 und endet am 09.10.2023.
The following rules apply for the admission:
  • The enrolment is possible from 04.09.2023, 08:00 to 09.10.2023, 12:00.
  • Enrolment is allowed for up to 1 courses of the admission set.
  • A defined number of seats will be assigned to these courses.
    The seats in the affected courses have been assigned at 09.10.2023 on 15:15. Additional seats may be available via a wait list.
Assignment of courses: