Two friends, poetic innovators trying to use plain speech to fathom and capture the muddied human mind and the complex natural world, created verse which resonates as dazzlingly today as 200 years ago. In this course we will study a few emblematic poems in order to hear their language and explore their thoughts.
Course details
Tutors
Wordsworth and Coleridge are two of the great poets of the first generation of ‘Romantic’ writing. The word, Romantic, is now used to describe mainly poetry written at the end of the 18th century and in the early 19th century, but to themselves they were simply friends who found an identity of purpose and belief. They both wanted to create a poetry that would capture complex, confused moods and thoughts, a poetry that saw the world with excitement and saw its mystery. They wanted a poetry that could speak of depression and equally speak of politics. And they also wanted it to be written in plain language, a language closer to conversational prose.
These demands that they set themselves were part of their reaction to the huge changes that the 18th century brought, signalled by the French Revolution and the American war of Independence. Coleridge, for example, wanted to live in America, Wordsworth went to live in revolutionary France. They wanted to leave behind the poetic language of the early 18th century, which, at its extreme, seemed to speak only in certainties couched in artifice. They wanted to move the poetry away from ratiocination and into feeling.
As a result, we today think of poetry as emotional, socially observant, plainer in its language and willing to be allusive. These two poets are as vibrant as they were over 200 years ago and in this course we will study certain of their most demanding poems to hear how much they still have to say to us.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes for this course are:
- To become aware of the politics within the poetry
- To become aware of the register and voice used in the poetry
- To understand the term ‘Romantic’
Classes
1. Wordsworth – ‘Lines written in early spring’, ‘The tables turned’, ‘A slumber did my spirit seal’
2. Wordsworth – ‘Strange fits of passion’, ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’
3. Wordsworth – ‘Ode : There was a time’
4. Coleridge – ‘The Ancient Mariner’
5. Coleridge – ‘Kubla Khan’
Required reading
Wordsworth - Selected Poetry (any edition)
Coleridge - Selected Poetry (any edition)
Typical week: Monday to Friday
For each week of study you select a morning (Am) and an afternoon (Pm) course, each course has five sessions, one each day Monday to Friday. The maximum class size is 25 students. Your weekly courses are complemented by a series of two daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.
| c.8.00am-9.00am | Breakfast in College (for residents) |
| 9.00am-10.30am | Am Course |
| 11.15am-12.30pm | Plenary Lecture |
| 12.30pm-1.45pm | Lunch |
| 1.45pm-3.15pm | Pm Course |
| 4.00pm-5.15pm | Plenary Lecture |
| c.6.00/6.15pm-7.15/7.30pm | Dinner in College (for residents) |
| c.7.30pm onwards | Evening talk/event |
Evaluation and Academic Credit
If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses.
Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £65 per essay.
For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.
Certificate of attendance
A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically within a week of your courses finishing.