Proseminar Introduction to Poetry 8211 A Year in the Life of Two Poets Derek Walcott and Robert Lowell

The unusual friendship between the two distinguished poets Derek Walcott and Robert Lowell began in 1962. Despite their radically different biographies, this friendship lasted until Lowell’s death 15 years later. Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott was born on the small Caribbean island of St Lucia in 1930 as a descendant of African slaves and English and Dutch plantation owners. Before Walcott left the Caribbean for the first time in 1958, he played a major role in establishing a literary scene in the region. Since the 1970s, he spent significant periods in the United States. Robert Lowell was born in 1917 Boston into a patrician New England family. For most of his adult life, he suffered from manic depression. Lowell spent many years travelling and living in Europe and taught at universities throughout the United States, including Harvard and Boston. Poetry is often the result of collaboration among friends. This becomes apparent when comparing two works: Lowell’s Notebook 1967-68 and Walcott’s Midsummer published in 1984. In these works, both poets share a similar agenda: Both treat very personal events in their lives and their respective places of origin feature prominently in the poems. At the same time, both volumes include poems that treat current political events. In this course, we will explore in what ways the two poets influenced each other as we trace similarities between their works. Therefore, we will engage in close readings of select poems from both volumes and identify characteristics of Lowell’s and Walcott’s poetry. Since this course is designed as an introductory class, we will review the tools for analysing poetry acquired in the -OK” Literary Studies before applying them in order to expand our knowledge thereof. To get a more immediate impression of the poets it is possible to watch a film about Lowell, as well as a documentary about poetry in the Caribbean. Master copies of the primary texts and select criticism will be available in a binder on the reserve shelf in BB2 at the beginning of October. Once classes have started, they will also be accessible via a Moodle course. Voraussetzungen Successful completion of the OK -Introduction to British and American History and Literature.” Leistungsnachweis Regular and active participation including a short oral presentation is required of everybody. 10-15 page term paper (depending on your Modulprüfungsordnung). FB 02 Institut für Anglistik / Amerikanistik Successful completion of the OK -Introduction to British and American History and Literature.” Regular and active participation including a short oral presentation is required of everybody. 10-15 page term paper (depending on your Modulprüfungsordnung). Uni Kassel WiSe 2014/15 Amerikanistik Pfeffer Sarah