August 2024
Patreon.com/CloseReadingPoetry
Welcome to our four-week course on Early American Poetry! This course explores the poetic traditions of early America from the colonial period to the early 19th century. We will read and discuss the works of Anne Bradstreet, Philip Freneau, Phillis Wheatley, and African-American Spirituals, among others. As students, we will give special attention to the role of poetry in early American society, culture, and identity. Through lectures, close readings, and discussions, this course will highlight the themes and stylistic features that characterize early American poetry and will consider its lasting impact on the American literary canon.
Course Goals. This course will prepare you for the fall course on American Transcendentalism and the American Renaissance. By the end of August, students will be able to:
- Understand Historical Contexts by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the shaping forces of religion, culture, and society;
- Appreciate Early American Poetry by reading and discussing key poets and their contributions to the formation of American poetry;
- Engage with Poetic Form and Style by developing an understanding of the various poetic forms and styles used by early American poets, including the epic, neoclassical style, and the lyric;
- Connect Past and Present by drawing connections between early American poetry and contemporary literary and cultural issues.
Format. Each meeting will last about 90 to 120 minutes long; Adam will deliver a 40-50 minute lecture on the reading material, followed by a brief period of Q&A. The remaining half hour will be devoted to guided discussion and student presentations. To get the most out of this course, complete the readings before each meeting.
Schedule. We will meet on Zoom every Monday in August at 6pm EST. Our meetings will be seminars, which are small, discussion-based meetings. Students will complete readings and ponder reflection questions before the class. At the start of each gathering, Adam will deliver a lecture, which will be followed by an hour of guided discussion, in which students will share thoughts, ask questions, and collaboratively close-read the major poems.
Week 1: Introduction to American Poetry
- Readings: The Bay Psalm Book, a poem by Anne Bradstreet
- Meeting 1: Monday August 5, 6pm EST
Week 2: Puritan Poetics
- Readings: Selected poems from Anne Bradstreet’s The Tenth Muse; selected poems by Edward Taylor; excerpt from Michael Wigglesworth’s Day of Doom
- Meeting 2: Monday August 12, 6pm EST
Week 3: Poetry of the Revolution
- Readings: Selected works from Phillis Wheatley and Philip Freneau.
- Meeting 3: Monday August 19, 6pm EST
Week 4: African-American/Negro Spirituals and Their Legacy
- Readings: selected African-American (often called “Negro”) Spirituals
- Meeting 4: Monday August 29, 6pm EST
