3562003 American Literature
| Numbering Code | U-LET19 23562 PJ36 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ First semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 1 | Course Type | Practical training | |
| Target Year | Target Student | |||
| Language | English | Day/Period | Wed.3 | |
| Instructor name | Stephen Gill (Part-time Lecturer) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course | The first haiku in English were composed more than 100 years ago by poets working mainly in London and categorised as ‘Orientalist’ or ‘Imagist’. The second wave, in the 1950's, were those written by the ‘Beat’ poets in the U.S.A. Since the 1970's, haiku-style poetry in English has been widely published and broadcast, and some of it is very good. This semester, we will study the history of the genre using reading texts and examples. (In the second semester, we will study the differences between Japanese and English haiku, analysing some of the special features of the English haiku form. We will recognize some qualities of the English language that are ideally suited to writing haiku!) Lectures and discussions will be supplemented with audio, video and handouts. This course aims at improving the student's general proficiency at reading, speaking, listening and writing through discussion and analysis. In class, students should take occasional notes of things they consider interesting or important. Tests, if indicated, will require students to revise. Sometimes students will be encouraged to discuss and draw conclusions in small groups. Students will anthologise and critique their selection of the best American and British haiku during the first semester and present this as a report during the final two classes. | |||
| Course Goals | Our goals include improving English ability through listening, reading, speaking and writing. In our discussions and analysis, some cultural comparison will necessarily be made between the English-speaking world and the Japanese world, to which students should actively contribute. Also, we will hope to improve ability to read 'between the lines'. A further goal might be to reappraise the idea that 'Small is beautiful; less is more', which Japan has helped to instil in world literature. | |||
| Schedule and Contents |
1. Orientation 2. Origins in Japan and literary ground in UK and USA 3. Oriental translations 4. Orientalism 5. Imagism 6. Western view of Zen 7. Beat poets 8. 1960s 9. Haiku Society of America 10. British Haiku Society 11. World Haiku 12. Haiku radio 13. Haiku in other Western media 14. Internet haiku (and critiqued anthology reports) 15. Future of world haiku (and critiqued anthology reports) |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy |
attendance/class contribution 50%, tests 10%, report (anthology/critique or analysis/examples) 40% |
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| Course Requirements | Active participation in our online class. | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Occasionally, students may be expected to familiarize themselves with a short text in advance of the class. They should revise for any tests. Towards the end of the semester, they must also research and write a report to submit to the teacher via the class PandA page by or before the 14th class. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Teaching texts for each lecture (with poem examples) will be provided by the teacher and posted as pdf files on the class PandA site. | ||
| References, etc. |
The Haiku Handbook, Higginson, William J. , , ISBN:0070287864 Haiku in English: the First Hundred Years , Kacian, J., Rowland, P. & Burns, A. , , ISBN:9780393239478 From the Cottage of Visions - Genjuan Haibun, Gill, Stephen Henry, , ISBN:9784990082291 |
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| Related URL | The 'Icebox' is edited by the teacher and contains a list of links to all the most important English haiku sites around the world | |||
