Songs of Experience (U03278)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-4-U03278

This course, will explore a range of poetry from the first half of the seventeenth century, focusing particularly on lyric, epigrammatic and epistolary poetry by John Donne, Ben Jonson, Thomas Carew, Richard Lovelace and Andrew Marvell, though we will also study poems by other poets whose work has been classified as 'metaphysical' or 'cavalier'. The thematic continuity of the course will be provided by a focus on this poetry's worldliness. The late Renaissance in England saw new or renewed attention to secular ways of comprehending the world, ways that troubled but did not displace a theological approach to the comprehension of earthly experience - Bacon's reformed epistemology, the seductions of Epicureanism and Donne's anxious handling of 'new philosophy' are all prominent landmarks in this terrain. Having established an outline of this intellectual framework, the course will examine how it is invoked by the poetics underpinning 'metaphysical' and 'cavalier' poetry. Questions of voice and address, genre, figuration and style will all be explored in this light. The course will also pay particular attention to the thematic handling of erotic love, friendship and nature. Throughout, it will explore the tensions in this worldly poetics between a concern with immanence and the demands of Christian theological doctrine.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Passes in English or Scottish Literature 1, and English or Scottish or American literature 2, with a mark of 50 or above at the first attempt in the second year course. Passes in third year courses in the subject area amounting to at least 40 credits.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Numbers are limited and students taking degrees not involving English or Scottish or American literature need the written approval of the head of English Literature.

? Costs : Essential course texts.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

English Literature, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 1 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
21/09/2006	14:00	16:00	Room 2.2, 22 Buccleuch Place	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Wednesday	10:00	12:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course students will be able to:

- demonstrate a good knowledge of the poetry studied;
- understand and use appropriately the critical vocabulary for analysing lyric, epigrammatic and epistolary poetry from this period;
- explicate and critically assess the notion of ' worldliness' around which the course is organised;
- show an awareness of relevant intellectual and historical contexts;
- critically assess the categories ('metaphysical', 'cavalier') often used to classify the poetry studied;
- demonstrate a familiarity with important critical work on the poetry studied.