Kursinformation

This course aims to provide an introduction to Romantic poetry by way of a focus on Lyrical Ballads, written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. This collection of poems is often described as a, or even the, founding text of British Romanticism, a claim which we will explore and critically examine. Lyrical Ballads was first published in 1798 but saw another substantially revised publication in 1802, now with the famous and influential “Preface”. Classroom discussions frequently address the aesthetic programme outlined in the “Preface” and maybe one or two poems from the collection. In this course, we will consider the work in its entirety, including a comparison of the two different versions, to unlock the collection’s rich array of different themes, forms, tones and imageries. We will engage not only in individual and collective close readings of selected poems but take into account the cultural and political context of the period in order to illuminate the collection’s revolutionary character and lasting impact.