ENGLISH 456: MAJOR CONTEMPORARY POETS IN TRANSLATION
BEGINNING WITH RILKE
Mark IrwinUniversity of Southern CaliforniaTaper 415 T/TH 12:30-2:00
Using Ilya Kaminsky’s new Ecco Anthology of International Poetry, along with individual volumes by Rilke, Milosz, Amichai, and Szymborska, we will focus on
the work of fifteen major poets. We will specifically focus on those poets whose work translates well into English, while discussing the issue of successful translation. Completion of this course will include a paper and presentation on the particular work
of one author. We will also practice the art of translation through generating different versions of various works. Knowledge of a second language such as French, German, Italian, Polish, or Spanish would be helpful for this course. Additional authors include Andrade, Borges, Bonnefoy, Cavafy, Celan, Bei Dao, Herbert, Juarroz, Lorca, Mandelstam, Ritsos, Neruda, Paz, Pilinsky, Stanescu, Zagajewski, and several others.
Books:
Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. Stephen Mitchell, trans. NY: Vintage.
ISBN:0679-72201-7 $15.00 paperRequired
Ecco Anthology of International Poetry. Kaminsky & Harris, eds. NY: Harper, Collins.
Paperback, $19.99. (Used OK) ISBN: 978-006 1583 247Required
Milosz, Czeslaw. The Collected Poems. NY: The Ecco Press
Paper, $19.99 Used OK ISBN 13-978-006 0514 448Required
Selected Poems of Yehuda Amichai (New & Revised edition) Bloch & Mitchell trans.
Univ. California Press, 1996. 19.00Required
Szymborska, Wislawa. Miracle Fair: Selected Poems. NY: WW Norton
Paperback 15.00 (used OK) ISBN 978-0393049398 Recommended.
WEEK 1RILKE: Poems from Neue Gedicte: “Archaic Torso of Apollo,”
“Autumn,” “The Panther”
The Duino Elegies Read Intro by Robert Hass Elegies 1-3
WEEK 2RILKE: Elegies 4-6 RILKE: Elegies 7-10
RILKE
WEEK 3MILOSZ Poems Assigned in Class: Essay on “Encounter” Due
“Bobo’s Metamorphosis” “From the Rising of the Setting Sun”
“The Separate Notebooks”
WEEK 4MILOSZ (Collected Poems) + pages 180-194 from anthology
Wislawa Szymborska Poems: “A Note”
& other poems + Herbert, Rozewicz, Swir, Zagajewski (all poems
from anthology)
WEEK 5 POLAND & HUNGARY: Nagy, Holub, Popa, Pilinsky (Handout). ROMANIA: Stanescu (handout) Sorescu.
Pilinszky: “Spaces” & other poems (Xerox) STANESCU
translation/imitation exercise due
WEEK 6GREECE: Cavafy, Ritsos, Elytis, Seferis, Kondos
RUSSIA Mandelstam, Akhmatova Tsvetaeva, Mayakovsky, Ratutushinskaya, Pasternak, Brodsky, Barskova
WEEK 7MIDDLE EAST: Amichai, Pagis, Darwish, Adonis
Short PAPER
WEEK 8Yehuda Amichai: Selected Poems
WEEK 9 FRANCE/GERMANY/ITALY: especially Apollonaire, Follain, Char, Bonnefoy, Portante, DuBouchet, Denis. (handouts).
BONNEFOY: “On the Movement and Immobility of Douve”
G: Celan, Eich, Brobowski I: Levi, Campana, Ungaretti
WEEK 10SCANDINAVIA: Especially Ekelof, Saarikoski, Transtromer
WEEK 11CHINA: Especially Bei Dao, Duo Duo , Gu Cheng
Bei Dao Handout
JAPAN: Miyoshi & others. KOREAN poets
WEEK 12LATIN AMERICA: Borges,Vallejo, Neruda, Lorca, Paz, Alegria,
“Neruda’s “Walking Around” 3 TRANSLATIONS
WEEK 13LATIN AMERICA: Roberto Juaroz, Parra, Carlos Drummond
de AndradeBEGIN PRESENTATIONS
WEEK 14LATIN AMERICA:Finish all poets
PRESENTATIONS
WEEK 15PRESENTATIONS / FINAL PAPER DUE
WEEK 16TRANSLATION PROJECTS/PRESENTATIONS
FINAL PAPER REVIEW
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
ENGLISH 456: MAJOR CONTEMPORARY POETS IN TRANSLATION
BEGINNING WITH RILKE
Students completing this course will be familiar with seminal work from leading world poets beginning with the early 20th century work of Rilke, especially The Duino Elegies. Other later 20th century poets include Nobel Laureates Milosz and Symborska, and other authors, including Andrade, Borges, Bonnefoy, Cavafy, Celan, Bei Dao, Herbert, Juarroz, Lorca, Mandelstam, Ritsos, Neruda, Paz, Pilinsky, Stanescu, Zagajewski. We will specifically focus on those poets whose work translates well into English, while discussing the issue of successful translation. Completion of this course will include a paper and presentation on the particular work of one author. We will also practice the art of translation through generating different versions of various works. This course is geared to strengthen the perception of all creative writing majors.
ATTENDANCE: Any student missing more than three classes, without an excuse, may be asked to leave the class.
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: Due on given date, unless you are ill, then due on next class. Any assignment turned in later than the next class after it is due will be given a zero, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Your grade for ENGL 456 will be determined in he following manner:
Class papers & translations40%
Group project20%
Final paper40%
My job is to ensure that you achieve the highest possible grade.
Strong attendance and or class participation may raise a grade up to ½ letter.