Introduction to Fixed-Form Poetry Explication and Scansion
Powerful poetry uses more than the connotations of language to evoke emotion; the meter, rhyme, structure, and sound of a well-crafted poem reinforce and multiply its meaning. This course starts with a basic introduction to the metrical scansion of poetry and teaches you to apply this skill to explicating fixed-form poems. While we'll focus primarily on the sonnet form and its evolution, we’ll also examine the villanelle and the sestina — and how classical and contemporary poets both adhere to and depart from the confines of fixed forms to enhance the content of their poems.
The class will be offered in person only and will involve working through how to scan and identify the meter of a poem together.
Faculty Bio
Stephanie Wells has a B.A. from UC Berkeley, an M.A. from University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. from UC Davis, with a focus on modernism and postmodernism in American and British novels and poetry. She has been a literature professor for over 20 years and currently teaches at College of Marin.
This is an In-Person Course
- Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
- Limited to 40 members
- Please note: If you’re already well versed in metrical scansion and formal poetics, this class will be too elementary for you! This is intended for those who enjoy the rhythms of formal poetry but don’t yet have a full understanding of how its physical construction can be deliberately crafted to enhance the poem’s meaning.
- Fee assistance is available if cost is a barrier. Learn more.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Wednesday, Sept. 20 and ends on Wednesday, Oct. 25
- Classes meet for six weeks, two hours per session (10–noon)
- All course materials will be available to view and enjoy through Dec. 31
Member Praise for Stephanie Wells
Absolutely OUTSTANDING! I treasure every moment of this course. Thank you Stephanie Wells for teaching these courses and sharing your insights so freely and enthusiastically. I have learned so much in such a short time.
An intelligent, stimulating instructor who is well versed in her subject. I would say the same for all of the courses I have taken from Stephanie Wells.
All the material selected was organized, presented and discussed thoughtfully and shared with great insight that expanded my appreciation, perspective of understanding. I found it so exciting and rewarding to both meet and revisit so many authors and explore the wide range of material, subjects and styles explored by these women.
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Stephanie Wells from our archive.