Course Catalogue

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This course looks at major themes of poetry: love, nature, war, humour and mortality. We will explore works by Donne, Tennyson, Dickinson and Eliot, as well as verse by current poets and Scottish writers. No previous knowledge of poetry is required, although students are welcome to nominate favourite poems for class discussion.

Block 2

2 hours per week for 10 weeks

Tuesday, 19.00-21.00

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None

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No summative assessments will be undertaken.

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ Introduce students to major themes of poetry in English and Scots.

■ Demonstrate how different poets tackle themes of love, war, mortality, nature, spirituality and humour.

■ Enhance students' ability to analyse and appreciate a poem.

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

■ Recognise how major poetic themes have been addressed by different poets in different eras

■ Identify several major poems and poets

■ Analyse and interpret a poem in English or Scots

Not applicable to a non-credit bearing course