ENL 5246-Fall 2025-Eckert

Through works by authors including Charlotte Smith, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and John Keats, this course aims to foster an appreciation both for Romantic poetry and for the theoretical complexities of lyric. Romanticism is often seen as synonymous with the lyric tradition, yet what constitutes a “lyric” is a thorny question. Since the nineteenth century, scholars have struggled with how best to understand the complex relationships between poet, poetic speaker, and audience(s) that lyric invites. Balancing our focus between foundational work on lyric theory with cutting-edge work in the field published within the past few years, this course strives to help students develop analytical skills for reading poetic form. Throughout the semester, students will also improve skills necessary for success in the profession, including crafting abstracts, refining one’s prose style, and locating appropriate venues for publication