Module Description:

This module introduces students to the history and forms of European poetry from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, focusing especially on poetry originally written in English, French and Italian (all studied in English translation). These three languages have been widely spoken and written through several regions of Europe over this period, in evolving forms - so the French of the 1300s or the English of the 1500s are each different from the contemporary forms in use in 2020. The culture and traditions of 21st-century poetry remain however closely connected to those of the previous centuries and previous language forms that we will look at. We use translations (including translations of archaic forms of English!) to help us access the older verse that we study together. The syllabus is divided so as to cover a period of between 150 to 50 years each week, with shorter spans for the periods closest in time, where we can access better documented data on the poems and poets concerned. The individual poems studied most closely in the small group seminars come from specific dates or date-spans within the broad period headings, as the weekly units will show.

Aims and Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module, students should be able to:

Recognise and describe a number of poetic forms (e.g., sonnet, octave poetry, free verse) and devices (e.g., alliteration, metaphor, rhyme)
	Give an account of some of the principal writers or movements in the poetic traditions of England, France and Italy from the twelfth century up to the present
	Write concise textual analysis of selected primary source passages, demonstrating knowledge and understanding of their formal and linguistic features
	Produce written work that develops and defends sound arguments, draws on appropriate critical secondary studies, and displays critical thinking and research skills
	Manage preparation tasks and meet specified deadlines in presenting work both in oral discussion and in written assignments
Suggested Reading:

The tutors especially recommend the following two handbooks to support your study of poetry throughout the module:

Terry Eagleton, How to Read a Poem (Malden MA and Oxford: Blackwell, 2007)

Rhian Williams, The Poetry Toolkit: the Essential Guide to Studying Poetry (Third edition: London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2019). This volume is very helpful, and it now also has a dedicated website to accompany the book