Often neglected and maligned, the long poem and novella are brilliant genre forms that don’t receive as much air time as they deserve. We will look closely at some longer poems of about 500 lines to see what characteristics these poems possess to set them apart from their short and epic brethren. Similarly, we will explore how the novella falls between the short story and the novel. Students will write analytically, creatively, and engage in Harkness-style discussions as they take a deep dive into these two amazing literary forms. Students will also be exposed to the ballad stanza and how it forms the backbone of Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Departmental approval is required for this course.