Tenney Nathanson: courses

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Tenney Nathanson

courses

I'll be on sabbatical leave in Fall 2012.

In Spring 2013 I'll be teaching

English 380, Literary Analysis, MWF 12

English 488B, American Modernist Poetry, MWF 10

Spring 2013

English 380: Literary Analysis

This is a course in “practical criticism” or “close reading.” We’ll bracket out, as much as possible, the historical and cultural factors that condition both the production of literature and our reading of it, in order to focus on what used to be called “intrinsic” reading: we’ll treat the texts we read as if they were self-enclosed systems, in order to develop the close reading skills that will still be crucial (in other courses) once historical and cultural factors are brought explicitly into play. We’ll read many poems, some short stories, and perhaps one novel. Written work for the course will include several short papers (1-2 pp. each), two or three longer papers (4-5 pp. each), a midterm, and a final exam.

488b: American Modernist Poetry

American poets were instrumental in shaping the movement known as modernism. Stressing experiment and innovation, their work challenged conventional conceptions of poetry, creating a hyper-textual space in which competing idioms, discourses, and models of social and political action could jostle freely. (Contemporary poetry, especially so-called “composition by field,” is very much an outgrowth of modernist practice.) We will focus on the work of such major American modernist poets as Eliot, Pound, Williams, H.D., Stevens, Moore, and Crane. We will stress close reading of individual poems but will also explore modernism as a program of literary and cultural innovation. Requirements: three short papers (3-5 pp. each), or two short papers plus a journal of imitations; a final exam. Please note: the working assumption of the course is that the student has some prior experience reading and writing about poetry (in a class such as English 380).

this page last modified September 6, 2012

nathanso@email.arizona.edu

Tenney Nathanson

courses

I'll be on sabbatical leave in Fall 2012.

In Spring 2013 I'll be teaching

English 380, Literary Analysis, MWF 12
English 488B, American Modernist Poetry, MWF 10

Spring 2013

English 380: Literary Analysis

This is a course in “practical criticism” or “close reading.” We’ll bracket out, as much as possible, the historical and cultural factors that condition both the production of literature and our reading of it, in order to focus on what used to be called “intrinsic” reading: we’ll treat the texts we read as if they were self-enclosed systems, in order to develop the close reading skills that will still be crucial (in other courses) once historical and cultural factors are brought explicitly into play. We’ll read many poems, some short stories, and perhaps one novel. Written work for the course will include several short papers (1-2 pp. each), two or three longer papers (4-5 pp. each), a midterm, and a final exam.

488b: American Modernist Poetry

American poets were instrumental in shaping the movement known as modernism. Stressing experiment and innovation, their work challenged conventional conceptions of poetry, creating a hyper-textual space in which competing idioms, discourses, and models of social and political action could jostle freely. (Contemporary poetry, especially so-called “composition by field,” is very much an outgrowth of modernist practice.) We will focus on the work of such major American modernist poets as Eliot, Pound, Williams, H.D., Stevens, Moore, and Crane. We will stress close reading of individual poems but will also explore modernism as a program of literary and cultural innovation. Requirements: three short papers (3-5 pp. each), or two short papers plus a journal of imitations; a final exam. Please note: the working assumption of the course is that the student has some prior experience reading and writing about poetry (in a class such as English 380).

this page last modified September 6, 2012