ENGL 330Sonnets, Songs, and Satires: Poetry in the Age of Shakespeare

This course will introduce students to the short poetry written in sixteenth century England. Emphasis will be placed on the sonnet, a form central to the Renaissance reimagining of desire and the self; translations of the psalms, a collection of biblical songs newly influential after the Protestant Reformation; and the satire, a form through which poets addressed questions of social and political justice. Students will develop an understanding of genre in historical context by analyzing and interpreting this poetry in regular class discussions and in frequent written assignments. Students will also expand their knowledge by writing at least one poem of their own.