We will approach romantic literature on three levels: works by English romantic poets, theories promulgated by them, and the affiliations of romanticism with later critical theories. Poems written by the major romantic poets belong in the first category, Wordsworth's prose, Coleridge's Biographia Literaria, Keats's letters, etc. in the second, and recent criticism and ourselves in the third. Each of these indexes the others, and there is no reasonable way to understand any one of them in isolation. Thus, we will study major works by the six British poets that later generations have labeled "Romantic": Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Percy Shelley, and Keats. For context and variety, among others, we will also sample some prose and a novel or two (certainly Mary Shelley's Frankenstein) and political writings (such as Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Woman and William Godwin's Political Justice). Besides, we will be attentive to the works and interests of the most recent schools of romantic criticism.
There will be no examination, but students will be required to write a midterm paper (30%) and a term paper (40%). Besides, each student has to make at least one oral presentation (15%). Class attendance is mandatory and participation in discussion would be highly appreciated (15%).