Class Description
Poetry about bodies both mirrors and informs how we see ourselves as human beings, and provides a rich site in which to explore how cultural assumptions adhere to different groups—and even different parts of the body. This class brings together poems focused around specific body systems—the skin, the lungs, the heart, the skeleton, and uteruses—and pairs that body of work with personal and literary-critical essays by scholars, poets, and doctors. Through guided close readings, structured exercises, and open conversation, we will consider where the line between health and illness lies, what autonomy looks like and how it may have changed over time, and how metaphorical language bridges the gap between the arts and the sciences, particularly medicine.
Annalese Duprey-Henry received her PhD in English Literature in 2019, with a dissertation exploring the way lovesickness functioned as a literary and cultural device in late-medieval English literature. She writes and teaches on literature and topics in medical humanities.
All virtual classes are recorded and made available on a password-protected basis to participants registered in the class. These recordings are available for up to two weeks after the class ends.
Materials List
Required
- Instructor-Distributed Materials
Recommended
- Edward Hirsch, How to Read a Poem and Fall in Love with Poetry. Ecco, 2000. ISBN: 9780156005661
- Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry. Mariner, 1994. ISBN: 9780156724005
First Reading
- Prior to the first class, please read all 16 sections of the first chapter of Edward Hirsch's book How to Read a Poem and Fall in Love with Poetry. You may procure your own copy of this book or you may find the material available for free on the Poetry Foundation's website using the following link: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/69955/how-to-read-a-poem
Cost and Registration
6 Sessions, $270 ($243 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We now offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($270), Community Supported ($255), and Sponsor ($285). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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