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Topics in Literature: (242-0-70)

Topic

Introduction to Poetry

Instructors

Sam Meekings

Meeting Info

Northwestern Qatar Room 2-255: Tues, Su 10:00AM - 11:15AM (AST)

Overview of class

The course will examine how poems speak to us and our world, focusing on the uses of poetry in rethinking our experiences and our lives. It will examine how poetry functions as a site of protest and resistance. It will provide students with a foundation in the close reading of various styles of poems written in different historical periods, as well as encouraging students to create their own poems. Giving a broad introduction to poetic forms from sonnets and ballads through to free verse and poetry film, the course will give students the skills to both analyze and experiment with key poetic techniques and components, focusing on style, diction, and poetic devices such as rhyme, meter, imagery, symbol, tone, perspective and personal. The course will focus on the role of poetry throughout history as a form of protest speaking out against injustice, in particular in terms of culture, nation-building, religion, story-telling, politics, and identity. As well as touching on key canonical poetic figures and movements, the course will pay particular attention to global poetries and poetry in translation. Students will learn to read poems from different perspectives, and create their own poetry that speaks to today's world.

Registration Requirements


  • Prerequisites: None

  • Open to first-year students, sophomores and ABP Dual Enrolled students

  • Open for cross-registration

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: NUQ: Seats are reserved for Sophomore and Freshmen only.