Poetry: How to Read a Poem
Discover what poetry can tell us about human emotion and learn key ideas and techniques for understanding and interpreting verse.
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for poetry and literature lovers everywhere and anyone who wants to develop and expand their writing skills.
It is suitable for keen poetry readers as well as those just getting started on their journey.
The course will be especially useful for A-level (and equivalent) students who want to know what it’s like to study English at a university level.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to…
Identify different poetic forms, techniques and genres
Debate how poems create their effects, and describe how a given poem works in a way that is effective, accessible and compelling
Engage with some key critical and theoretical arguments about poetry, intertextuality and literature
Reflect on the social and cultural dynamics that inform poems and inspire and influence poets
Develop an understanding of the place of contemporary poetry in a long poetic tradition
Apply these insights to improve and develop your own critical and creative writing, if you wish to do so
