COURSE UNIT TITLE

: MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY AMERICAN POETRY AND PROSE

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
ELECTIVE

Offered By

American Culture and Literature

Level of Course Unit

First Cycle Programmes (Bachelor's Degree)

Course Coordinator

DOCTOR CARL JEFFREY BOON

Offered to

American Culture and Literature

Course Objective

This course examines in detail some of the key texts of the American mid-twentieth century, looking at both poetic and prose texts while working towards an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts in which these writings were published. As well as understanding the set texts students should also add to their understanding of this crucial period in the development of American literature. The course will feature a particular emphasis on the mental and spiritual torment of many mid-century writers.

As our focus in Major American Authors will be on prose, our focus in this class will be major American poetry published from the 1930s through the 1960s. Most classes will feature a deep dive into only one or two poems.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Demonstrate knowledge of the authors and texts addressed on the course as well as the key theoretical issues related to study of the mid-twentieth-century.
2   Critically analyse texts of the period
3   Think about the points of connection and disconnection between prose and poetry in this place and period.
4   Develop critical thinking
5   Develop critical writing

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 E.E. Cummings Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
2 Gertrude Stein Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
3 T.S. Eliot Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
4 Wallace Stevens Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
5 W.C. Williams Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
6 Anne Sexton Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
7 Sylvia Plath Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
8 Midterm
9 Robert Lowell Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
10 Louise Gluck Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
11 Marilyn Hacker Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
12 Frank O'Hara Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
13 Kenneth Koch Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
14 John Ashbery Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
15 Mark Halliday Lecture, Discussion, Text Analysis
16 Final

Recomended or Required Reading

The Collected Poems of Robert Lowell
The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry
Assorted Supplementary Handouts

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Lectures
Discussion
Textual Analysis
Student Presentations
Small group work

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 FIN FINAL EXAM
3 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.40 + FIN * 0.60
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.40 + RST * 0.60


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

Assessment will involve one mid-term examination and one final examination.In the examinations it is important that students achieve coherence of thought, understanding of course topics and contexts and synthesis of the ideas and topics on the course. There should be no plagiarism in any of these topics, and any students who do not submit any of these assessments will fail.

All students are expected to contribute coherently to class discussion and provide in depth and sensible analyses of the texts that we have read.

Language of Instruction

English

Course Policies and Rules

Regular class attendance.
The completion of all assigned readings.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

carl.boon@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Wednesday, 12:00-13:00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 13 5 65
Preparation for midterm exam 1 5 5
Preparation for final exam 1 5 5
Final 1 1,5 2
Midterm 1 1,5 2
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 121

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12PO.13PO.14
LO.155335
LO.255335
LO.355335
LO.455335
LO.555335