Poetry and class in the context of society - Afternoon

Course Programme

14:00 Session 3 Dr Stephen Logan

15:15 Tea

15:45 Session 4 Dr Stephen Logan

17:00  Course ends

Poetry and Nationality

Recent events will have made it clear that there are four nations within the United Kingdom, but, because the seat of political power is in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland are often treated as marginal. Has attention been similarly distributed when it comes to the study of ‘English’ poetry? Does the fact that such poetry is referred to as ‘English’ (The Oxford Book of English Verse) reinforce a prejudice or is it just a convenient shorthand? If we open up discussion to include poets from the Celtic nations of the UK do we find differences we need to take account of? We will explore these issues by looking at the work of a very well-known Irish poet, Seamus Heaney, and a very little-known Welsh poet, Idris Davies. Please bring copies of the following books with you:

1. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Selected-Poems-1988-2013-Faber-Poetry/dp/0571321720/ref=sr_1_2?crid=VBLVKAYP0NUX&keywords=seamus+heaney+selected+poems&qid=1571852478&sprefix=seamus+heaney+sele%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-2
2. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collected-Poems-Idris-Davies/dp/184323307X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Idris+Davies&qid=1571854073&sr=8-1

It would be helpful if student’s could read Heaney’s essay, ‘Learning from Eliot’ in advance. Here is a recording of him giving the lecture the published essay would be based on:

https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/news/2019/09/podcast-seamus-heaney-cheltenham-literature-festival-1988/

Accommodation

Although this is a non-residential course, students requiring accommodation may be able to book B&B at Madingley Hall, as availability permits.

Please contact reservations@madingleyhall.co.uk or +44 (0)1223 746222 for availability and booking enquiries.

Lunch

A selection of sandwiches will be available to purchase in the Terrace Bar.

Additional requirements

ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.

Further information about student support.

Entry requirements

No academic qualification is required, and most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject.

All teaching is in English (unless a foreign-language course). If your first language is not English, you need to satisfy yourself that you have the required near-native command of the language to get the maximum benefit from studying with ICE.

This course takes place at Madingley Hall, home to the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

About Madingley Hall

Madingley Hall itself is an impressive manor house dating back to the mid-16th century. The decoration of the Saloon and the formal Stair Hall was carried out 200 years later, and the whole fabric was renovated with great care around 1900. About four miles from the centre of Cambridge, the Hall stands in several acres of beautifully-maintained gardens and overlooks a landscape which has changed relatively little since it was laid out by Capability Brown. It is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge, and only 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.

Getting here

For those arriving by train, we have an arrangement with a local taxi company to collect students from Cambridge railway station for a small fee of £4.

We also now have a mini-bus service which runs between the station and Madingly Hall weekday mornings between 06:45 and 09:25 and evenings between 16:45 and 19:25. Please contact the reception desk at ICE for more details.

For more information see directions to Madingley Hall.