Poetry OpenCourseWare: The Open University's Free Bachelor Level Poetry Class

Published Feb 15, 2009

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The Open University offers its 'Poetry' course as free OpenCourseWare (OCW). The course examines poetry through literary techniques so that students have a deeper appreciation of poems. The original course was designed for humanities and literature students.

Approaching Poetry: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes Yes No

Approaching Poetry: Course Description

Understanding the meaning of a poem can be difficult for many people. Unlike a novel, poetry typically condenses language and meaning into a small space. This course aims to help you appreciate and understand poetry by introducing techniques and terminology used in poetry explication. Specific topics include voice, rhyme, rhythm, alliteration and contrasting and comparing among other topics. The original course was designed for literature and humanities students.

This OpenCourseWare includes lecture notes, discussion questions, a glossary and hyperlinks to course documents and poems. If you're interested in taking this free course, visit the poetry course page.

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