Studying Poetry (1 Viewer)

[phatic]

Hi. I have been searching the USYD English UoS for any evidence that poetry is studied in depth. It seems that any poetry ia merely a minor supplement to the prose texts, which are the main focus of studies in English... There are a few post-graduate UoS which focus on both the study and composition of poetry, but i'll be a cripple if I'm denied poetry until then.

Must I use my own initiative and study poetry outside the university courses, or are there other options? If I can do workshops and whatnot, is there a point to attending university? Do the critical skills you develop assist in developing an appreciation of texts, or do they destroy everything in their path?

As is probably most apparent, I'm quite lost, and would much appreciate any advice or words of experience in this regard. If anyone is studying poetry at university, or anywhere else for that matter, please tell me about it.

 

[andyk]

phatic: Academically, poetry is studied as part of rhetoric and discourse - USyd has that exact unit name although it's an Advanced unit (a special intake?). Poetry could also be studied as Metaphor, Poetics, Literature, Image, Language, Performance Writing, even specific era/authors from Plato to Shakespeare to Blake. This will depend then on what aspect of poetry you are looking at studying: history and structural theory? rhyme? narrative? actually composing poetry (sometimes classed under Song Lyrics as well)?

I'm unsure which Unis offer what and precisely what but those 'headings' you might like to try searching. Apparently poetry is a very broad and obviously a well-developed subject, which is probably why it's studied in-depth in post-grad. It's probably recommended that you get foundation study in textual analysis anyway.

At UWS, Poetry/Poetics (I believe, history and structural theory) is offered as a unit this coming semester. I think there's also units in Writing Poetry, Writing Communication Emotion, and Writing for Performance although they might have been flagged for deletion due to budget crisis.

I guess, as natstar said, any class will probably simply develop technique, explore the 'genre', and improve appreciation of poetic texts; which is good when it comes down to your own composition, if that's your aim.

As for critical thinking destroying appreciation... there will be theories and critical ideas that you may not agree with, as in any subject; but from them you develop and refine your own ideas.

-andy

 

[phatic]

Ah, thanks for sorting me out. That's much better. When it comes time to apply for Uni, I think i'll go around to each and find out more.

 

[doe]

when my boss did english literature at usyd 5 out of the 13 english subjects he did were poetry related, i know this cause i just asked him

 

[doe]

As for critical thinking destroying appreciation... there will be theories and critical ideas that you may not agree with, as in any subject; but from them you develop and refine your own ideas.

like photography, you use the negative to develop

(groan ... barf ... )

 

[wasted_emotions]

Shakespeare Shouldve Got His Ass Kicked

Who else wishes they could go back in time, and beat the living fuck out of Will Shakespeare? I know my whole advanced english class and myself would jump at the oppurtunity hahaha

 

[shelley]

haha ok english 1020 in usyd is largely play and peotry based....though you may not think some of its peotry it really is, hero and leander, teh sonnets ect are all studied in this unit! Personally i liek william shakespeare lol

but your right your best bit is to talk to the unis because courses go in cycles and so u may not be ofered the course you want!