American Women Poets 4219-SC044
The course examines the work of American women poets in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, tracing a tradition shaped by its own dynamic and persistent concerns, but also its own debates and conflicts. Much attention will be given to mutual readings of the women poets—such as, for example, Adrienne Rich’s and Susan Howe’s reading of Emily Dickinson, Denise Levertov’s and Barbara Guest’s reading of H.D., Haryette Mullen’s inspiration with Gertrude Stein, Audre Lorde’s relationship and exchange with Adrienne Rich, etc. We will discuss the position of women in various poetic epochs and “schools” (in Modernism, in the Confessional, Black Mountain, Black Arts or L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E schools) and their conspicuous absence from other movements (such as Surrealism or the Beat Generation). We will trace the consolidation of and exchanges within specific groups of women poets, such as lesbian, African American or Latina, examining the importance and difficulty of introducing identity categories (such as “woman,” “lesbian,” “African American”) into our readings of poetry. The aim is to balance a formally rigorous reading of poems (with some attention to poetics and theory of poetic forms) with a cultural and contextualized reading which posits the modalities of class, race and sexuality, as well as gender, as central to the reading of poetry. The poets we may examine are: Anne Bradstreet, Phyllis Wheatley, Emily Dickinson, Angelina Weld Grimké, Marianne Moore, Amy Lowell, H.D., Elizabeth Bishop, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Denise Levertov, Muriel Rukeyser, Gwendolyn Brooks, Audre Lorde, Rita Dove, Judy Grahn, Adrienne Rich, Susan Howe, Lyn Hejinian, Hariette Mullen, Ana Castillo, Joy Harjo. Some of the critics we will read: Susan Howe, Alicia Ostriker, Annie Finch, Betsy Erkkila, Sabine Sielke, Susan Gubar, Adrienne Rich, Gloria Anzaldua.
Type of course
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
After completing the course, the student is aware of the influence of the intersection of gender, sexuality and race on the position of the writer. The student recognises gender as an important aspect of social and cultural life. The student can define some of the aspects of social inequality related to gender and is open to the new phenomena and ideas related to women's changing participation in cultural life.
SKILLS
The student can analyse poems, with reference to basic knowledge of poetics, U.S. literature and history. The student can reference selected theories of poetry. The student is able to formulate critical arguments about individual poems and, more broadly, characteristics of the work of each of the poets discussed in the course.
COMPETENCE
After completing the course the student is aware of the influence of the intersection of gender, sexuality and race on social, political, cultural life. The student can be a conscious observer and/or participant in cultural events, readings, meetings, exhibits, and shows related to women and the arts.
Assessment criteria
Students will be responsible for short written assignments. All assignments will be graded as S/U (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory). The student's final grade will be based on the number of completed assignments and class participation (or, alternatively, a written response).
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: