More Class News

There will be no class this coming Monday - we will continue with our discussion of Marvell for the next class - focusing on his pastoral poems, the 'Mower' poems, as well as his political poem - 'The Horatian Ode.' But please read all of the poems in the document on our site. In reading the latter, we will be asking about the function of pastoral in Marvell's works. In the latter poem, written during the interregnum in England, where does Marvell situate himself politically? Is he more sympathetic to Charles or to Cromwell?

More questions and guidance likely to follow. So please check here early again next week.

If any one has any questions about papers, please let me know.

Road Map for the Rest of the Semester

For our remaining classes, we will aim to cover the following material.

1. Poetry of Perspective: Andrew Marvell

2. The Last Metaphysicals: Vaughan and Traherne

3. The End of Metaphysics: Milton, Hobbes, and the Cambridge Platonist

4. Feminine Friendship: The Return of the Metaphysical in Mary Astell

For now, we will be focusing on Marvell. The poems which we will discuss are available on our site.

Ben Jonson

I know everyone is really excited and distracted by Hanuka (and Herbert), but just wanted to let you know, that our readings of Ben Jonson are now on our site.

Crashaw

We will continue our discussion of Donne and Herbert as a preparation to reading the poetry of Richard Crashaw. We may have the occasion to look again at Donne's 'Riding Westward' - is there more to be said about the poem? We will also look at Donne's Holy Sonnet 19, as well as some other selected poems by Herbert which are available on our site - Herbert and Donne texts for Crashaw. Poems by Crashaw are also available on our site - Crashaw Texts.

Is Crashaw's poetry metaphysical? How is his poetry different from the poetry of Donne and Herbert? Why is Crashaw so obsessed by blood and wounds?

Please check here again for further updates and questions.