日本語 English
| 開講年度/ Academic YearAcademic Year |
20262026 |
| 科目設置学部/ CollegeCollege |
文学部/College of ArtsCollege of Arts |
| 科目コード等/ Course CodeCourse Code |
AM207/AM207AM207 |
| テーマ・サブタイトル等/ Theme・SubtitleTheme・Subtitle |
Literature & the Environment I: Jeffers |
| 授業形態/ Class FormatClass Format |
対面（全回対面）/Face to face (all classes are face-to-face)Face to face (all classes are face-to-face) |
| 授業形態（補足事項）/ Class Format (Supplementary Items)Class Format (Supplementary Items) |
|
| 授業形式/ Class StyleCampus |
演習・ゼミ/SeminarSeminar |
| 校地/ CampusCampus |
池袋/IkebukuroIkebukuro |
| 学期/ SemesterSemester |
春学期/Spring SemesterSpring Semester |
| 曜日時限・教室/ DayPeriod・RoomDayPeriod・Room |
水1/Wed.1 Wed.1 ログインして教室を表示する（Log in to view the classrooms.） |
| 単位/ CreditsCredits |
22 |
| 科目ナンバリング/ Course NumberCourse Number |
EAL3811 |
| 使用言語/ LanguageLanguage |
英語/EnglishEnglish |
| 履修登録方法/ Class Registration MethodClass Registration Method |
その他登録/"Other" Registration"Other" Registration |
| 配当年次/ Assigned YearAssigned Year |
配当年次は開講学部のR Guideに掲載している科目表で確認してください。配当年次は開講学部のR Guideに掲載している科目表で確認してください。 |
| 先修規定/ Prerequisite RegulationsPrerequisite Regulations |
|
| 他学部履修可否/ Acceptance of Other CollegesAcceptance of Other Colleges |
履修登録システムの『他学部・他研究科履修不許可科目一覧』で確認してください。 |
| 履修中止可否/ Course CancellationCourse Cancellation |
×（履修中止不可/ Not eligible for cancellation） |
| オンライン授業60単位制限対象科目/ Online Classes Subject to 60-Credit Upper LimitOnline Classes Subject to 60-Credit Upper Limit |
|
| 学位授与方針との関連/ Relationship with Degree PolicyRelationship with Degree Policy |
各授業科目は、学部・研究科の定める学位授与方針（DP）や教育課程編成の方針（CP）に基づき、カリキュラム上に配置されています。詳細はカリキュラム・マップで確認することができます。 https://www.rikkyo.ac.jp/about/disclosure/educational_policy/arts.html |
| 備考/ NotesNotes |
This English literature course aims to help students develop their English abilities in the four core skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing through a combination of various texts, media and in-class activities. Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to enhance their abilities to analyze literary texts through close reading of the original texts, the provision of supplementary notes, related criticism or essays on the author, as well as videos or audio materials to aid students in their reading and interpretation of the body of work of the author from various perspectives.
This will facilitate students’ overall understanding of environmental literature, or nature writing, in general, and in particular the writings of Robinson Jeffers, one of the greatest American poets of all time and arguably, one of the unofficial 'founding fathers' of environmental writing. This represents part 1 in a two-part course focusing on literature and the environment. In part 1 here, we will look at the writings of poet Robinson Jeffers, who wrote some eternal poems about the environment and the world around him, which included all of its flora and fauna. (In Semester 2, for those continuing on with this course, we will change gears and focus on the prose writings of the Transcendentalists, specifically look at the writings of Henry David Thoreau, with a strong focus on his most famous work, Walden.)
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Jeffers’ philosophy and ideas will also be provided to help students better understand who Robinson Jeffers was, what his influences were, and who in turn he influenced, in order to gain a better understanding of both his times and his lasting legacy on the Environmental Movement and the world of environmental letters. While the theme of English Seminar 7 and 8 is essentially the same (literature and the environment), it is not essential for students to take the following course in the Fall semester if they wish to, or are able to, only join the Spring semester course.
In terms of skills related to English ability and proficiency, students will have the opportunity to improve their English listening skills through listening to the interpretations and analysis of the texts provided by their teacher in class, and via documentaries by scholars online, which they are also encouraged to watch. Group discussions will be held in regular classes on questions directly related to the text and given to students beforehand to reflect upon. Students will also have the opportunity to make a presentation in class (Assignment #3) to help them improve their written proficiency (by preparing a script for the presentation, which they can also use in the essay question of the final exam if they choose Option A) and their spoken English proficiency when they give the presentation in class. Students will give a presentation on one writer or contemporary of Jeffers, such as Una Jeffers, Jaime de Angulo, John Muir or D. H. Lawrence. Students may also choose to present on writers like Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder or Lew Welch, all of whom were influenced by Robinson Jeffers in some form or another. Students will be asked to complete two written assignments on supplementary materials provided in class.
Assignment #1 will be about Jeffers’ text “Stars” along with some short prose works. A digital copy of this text will be provided to students. For this assignment, students will be asked to read the text and answer some multiple-choice and short-answer questions on its contents. For Assignment #2, students will be asked to complete an ecocomposition assignment. Ecocomposition refers to visiting a location in nature (natural urban environments, i.e. those located within the city are also fine) and to write a short essay on their observations and experiences at their location. A sample essay will be provided for students, which they can use as a model or guideline to compose their own short ecocomposition essay. Assignment #3 will be held over two weeks (in Lessons 11 and 12), during which students will give a 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned earlier: a contemporary, friend, influence or ‘disciple’ of Jeffers. Supplementary materials will be provided either in class or by email to help students have more background information to complete the assignments and to better contextualize Jeffers’ times and philosophy. Some guidelines on how to complete these assignments will also be provided by the teacher, to help students improve their abilities in English written composition and expression.
Successful completion of this course should indicate an understanding of…
1. the historical background and contexts of the Conservation and Environmental Movements of the twentieth century, along with their philosophies, impact and legacy on more recent nature writing, activism and advocacy;
2. the style, structure, aesthetics, aims and political and environmental implications of Jeffers’ writings, with a particular focus on Cawdor, regarded by many as one of his great long poems;
3. several ways of analyzing a text, through supplementary readings and slides provided in class;
4. a better background knowledge of ecocriticism and ecopoetics, and how to analyze texts from an ecocritical or ecopoetic perspective;
5. a grounded understanding of the distant roots of our current environmental crisis and the various environmental movements that have been engaged over the past century, including environmental activist and advocacy groups, to tackle the urgent issues of global warming and climate change, species and habitat extinction that affect the whole planet in which we live.
This course also facilitates the development of the following skills…
1. the ability to interpret and discuss a text, based on its historical and cultural context and milieu;
2. the ability to inform an original text through the use of secondary sources;
3. the ability to interpret and understand the literary analysis of other critics and writers;
4. the ability to assess texts from an ecocritical and/or ecopoetic angle;
4. the ability to present an argument or summary of one’s opinion on a literary work.
This course, predominantly conducted in English, will offer enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Robinson Jeffers’ poems, including his long poem Cawdor, which was originally published in 1928. We will also talk about some of the contemporary writers (his wife Una Jeffers, anthropologist Jaime de Angulo, British novelist and poet D. H. Lawrence and conservationist John Muir) as well as those who were influenced by Jeffers (Milosz, Bukowski, Dorn, Snyder, Welch and others) in order for students to have a rounded knowledge and understanding of Jeffers’ philosophy on nature, his thoughts on the problematic aspects of Mankind, which he refers to as its “inhumanism,” his interest in “the Sublime,” (following in the footsteps of the Romantic poets), his love of the American continent, its flora and fauna and terrain, and more.
Some supplementary notes from well-known Jeffers critics (such as Hunt, Gelpi, Powell, and Bennett) will be selected by the teacher and provided to students to facilitate their own readings and help them analyze Jeffers’ writings and thoughts from various perspectives. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any other forms of media (podcasts, online videos, documentaries) to help enrich students’ understanding of this important writer and to help them develop an appreciation and understanding of ecocriticism and ecopoetics as fields for analyzing such texts. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: to enrich students’ knowledge of Robinson Jeffers; and in a larger sense, the Conservation and Environmental Movements and their philosophies as a whole, including Jeffers’ writings and vision, to help them fully appreciate these ideas in the context of both his times and the modern-day world. It is the teacher’s hope that by studying the writings of Robinson Jeffers, students may become even more interested, engaged and motivated to take a deeper interest in the current ecological and environmental crisis that affects us all.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Robinson Jeffers & Environmental Literature In our first class for the course, we will begin by briefly discussing the historical contexts and backgrounds of environmental thought in general, and some details about the life and times of Robinson Jeffers will be covered. The brief “Introduction” to the textbook will be covered in the following class (Lesson 2) but some points and concepts taken from this Introduction and other works of criticism will be introduced from Lesson 1. The main concepts that we will focus on in this chapter are “the Sublime” which relates back to the Romantic poets and also the Transcendentalists and "inhumanism" (a core concept in Jeffers). (NOTE: In Semester 2, we will cover Transcendentalist thought and philosophy in more detail). There will also be some basic discussion questions (on environmental writing and the environmental crisis) assigned to students who will share their thoughts in small groups. Each of the weekly assigned readings will be explained as well as the 3 assignments including the methods of evaluation for each respective one. |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – “Robinson Jeffers and the Sublime” (Introduction) In Lesson 2, we will begin by reviewing the key concepts of “the Sublime” and "inhumanism" and will focus on the Introduction (the first 22 pages of the textbook). Some articles or essays on Jeffers will also be shared with students. |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – “The Wild God of the World” (pp. 23-52) In Lesson 3, we will begin studying the short poems that precede Cawdor (one of his major long poems). In this week, we will discuss poems ranging from “Divinely Superfluous Beauty” up to the closing "Ninth Anniversary" poem. Some criticism and reviews of Jeffers shorter poems will also be shared with students. |
| 4 | Lesson 4 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor I (pp. 53-75) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 5 | Lesson 5 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor II (pp. 76-100) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 6 | Lesson 6 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor III (pp. 101-125) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 7 | Lesson 7 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor IV (pp. 126-147) In Lesson 7, we will look at the closing section of one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. In this class, students will attempt to summarize the main points and highlights of this long poem. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – “The Wild God of the World” (148-166) In Lesson 8, now that we have concluded the long poem Cawdor, we will continue to focus on shorter poems covering “Evening Ebb” up to “For Una.” In this class, we will also briefly talk about Una Jeffers, Robinson Jeffers’ wife, and Jaime de Angulo, who was a close friend of Jeffers. We will also examine a chapter on Jeffers by ecocritic Scott Slovic in this week. |
| 9 | Lesson 9 – “The Wild God of the World” (167-184) In Lesson 9, we will cover the remainder of the short poems in the textbook, reading from “Cassandra” up to “Oysters,” the final poem in the book. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – “The Wild God of the World” (185-200) In Lesson 10, we will read the closing prose sections of the book. This includes some prose letters, previously published introductions and forewords to books by Jeffers. Also, the book closes with some statements about Jeffers’ poetry and poetics by the editor of the book, Al Gelpi. |
| 11 | Lesson 11 – Presentations I In Lesson 11, the first half of the class will give a short 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned above. Students are encouraged to select a writer of prose or poetry whose works focus on the environment or nature in general, or someone who influenced Jeffers or was close to him. For contemporaries of Jeffers, the list includes Una Jeffers (Robinson Jeffers’ wife), Jaime de Angulo (a famous anthropologist scholar who was friends with Jeffers) or other writers who wrote about nature such as D. H. Lawrence or John Muir. Students could also choose a writer who was influenced by Jeffers such as Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder, Lew Welch or others who influenced Jeffers such as William Blake (Jeffers was called the "Pacific Blake"). Students who are not presenting but are part of the audience are expected to participate by asking questions in the short Q&A session after each presentation. Students who ask their classmates questions will be rewarded with bonus points towards their overall participation score (30% of their final score). Students who are NOT presenting in this week (but only listening as members of the audience) will be encouraged to read and study some supplementary materials. |
| 12 | <Lesson 12 – Presentations II In Lesson 11, the first half of the class will give a short 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned above. Students are encouraged to select a writer of prose or poetry whose works focus on the environment or nature in general, or someone who influenced Jeffers or was close to him. For contemporaries of Jeffers, the list includes Una Jeffers (Robinson Jeffers’ wife), Jaime de Angulo (a famous anthropologist scholar who was friends with Jeffers) or other writers who wrote about nature such as D. H. Lawrence or John Muir. Students could also choose a writer who was influenced by Jeffers such as Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder, Lew Welch or others who influenced Jeffers such as William Blake (Jeffers was called the "Pacific Blake"). Students who are not presenting but are part of the audience are expected to participate by asking questions in the short Q&A session after each presentation. Students who ask their classmates questions will be rewarded with bonus points towards their overall participation score (30% of their final score). Students who are NOT presenting in this week (but only listening as members of the audience) will be encouraged to read and study some supplementary materials. |
| 13 | Lesson 13 – Comprehensive Review In Lesson 13, we will do a comprehensive review of all key discussion questions covered over the course and semester, in order to prepare students for the final examination which takes place in the following week. Of the large list of questions covered each week in class, the teacher will identify the crucial questions (and answers) for students to focus on. We will probably hold a short quiz game in class as an enjoyable way to review the most important content of this course. |
| 14 | In Lesson 14, students will take their final test. All parts of the textbook will be covered in the final test as well as some of the supplementary materials either distributed in class or shared through email (or uploaded onto Google Classroom). There will be three sections to the final test: 1) in the first section students will answer multiple-choice questions (20 pts.); 2) in the second section students will write short-answer questions (10 pts.); 3) in the third section, students will choose ONE out of three topics: Option A (presentation topic in essay form); Option B (a summary of Jeffers’ philosophy and concepts such as “The (American) Sublime” and "inhumanism") or Option C (the legacy of Jeffers’ writings and the relevance of his messages in the modern-day world from the perspective of the ongoing climate crisis). |
板書 /Writing on the Board
スライド（パワーポイント等）の使用 /Slides (PowerPoint, etc.)
上記以外の視聴覚教材の使用 /Audiovisual Materials Other than Those Listed Above
個人発表 /Individual Presentations
グループ発表 /Group Presentations
ディスカッション・ディベート /Discussion/Debate
実技・実習・実験 /Practicum/Experiments/Practical Training
学内の教室外施設の利用 /Use of On-Campus Facilities Outside the Classroom
校外実習・フィールドワーク /Field Work
上記いずれも用いない予定 /None of the above
In addition to the weekly reading assignments from the textbook, students will also be encouraged to read and explore other supplementary sources of information. Some of the supplementary reading materials will be provided by the teacher (either photocopies handed out in class or sent by email) and extra 'recommending reading' sections will be suggested by the teachers to help them enrich their understanding of the texts, Jeffers’ philosophies on the environment, the fields of ecocriticism and ecopoetics and the course overall. Furthermore, students are encouraged to listen to any interesting podcasts, documentaries and online videos on Jeffers, his contemporaries and ‘disciples’ that may help them enrich their understanding of the course.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 ("Stars")(10%) Assignment #2 (Ecocomposition)(10%) Assignment #3 (Presentation)(10%) In-class discussions and participation(30%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(40%) |
| 備考 (Notes) | ||
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffers, Robinson. | The Wild God of the World: An Anthology of Robinson Jeffers | Stanford University Press | 2003 | 9780804745925 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zaller, Robert. | Robinson Jeffers and the American Sublime | Stanford University Press | 2012 | 9780804781022 |
| 2 | Bennett, Melba Berry. | The Stone Mason of Tor House: The Life and Work of Robinson Jeffers | Ward Ritchie Press | 1966 | |
| 3 | Van Doren, Mark. | Mark Van Doren on Robinson Jeffers: An Enduring Literary Friendship | Voyages Books & Art Press | 2017 | |
| 4 | Antoninus, Brother. | Robinson Jeffers: Fragments of an Older Fury. | Oyez | 1968 | 9780685046722 |
| 5 | Powell, Lawrence Clark. | Robinson Jeffers: The Man and His Work | San Pasqual Press | 1940 | 9780838306758 |
| その他 (Others) | |||||
| OTHERS: Other relevant information on Jeffers (criticism, essays, articles, supplementary poems and prose) will be provided in class. | |||||
1) The first matter students should be aware of is the attendance policy for this class. Students are required to attend at least 10 of the 14 classes / sessions in order to pass this course. In other words, students who are absent 5 times or more will automatically fail the course. Therefore, students who are planning to undertake an internship, work experience or will be away for a number of weeks during the course should take this in mind. Official absences will only be allowed in cases of illness or bereavement.
2) The second point students should keep in mind is how they will receive a grade for in-class participation. Each week we will hold discussions IN ENGLISH in class. Students are expected to participate in these discussion IN ENGLISH (not in Japanese). Failure to use English during discussions will result in point penalties.
3) Students who enrol in the course are EXPECTED to purchase a copy of the textbook. (Second-hand copies of the textbook are fine but please make sure to obtain the same edition as the one specified in this syllabus or to obtain copies of the same poems through using other resources or texts). If there is a delay in receiving a copy of the textbook after a student has ordered it, students are expected to make photocopies by themselves of the relevant chapters by obtaining a copy of this book from the library. There should be some books of Jeffers' selected or collected poems in the library which students may also feel free to refer to, for making copies of poems or for obtaining supplementary information.
NOTE: Students who are absent from class due to club activities, work experience or some similar reason will not be considered eligible for 'official absence.'
Students should possess either a laptop or iPad or similar device, and have access to some form of software which will allow them to generate slides for their presentation (Assignment #3) such as PowerPoint etc.
Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing on any assignments on tests will automatically incur penalties. (NOTE: This includes using AI software to write essays. However, if students can prove that they have used AI as a tool for learning or generating ideas, not for simply generating their final product, this could be deemed acceptable. Guidelines will be drawn up and shared with students on this matter). Therefore, while students may collaborate or study together both inside and outside the classroom, students are expected to turn in / submit ORIGINAL writing or work for the assignments. Failure to do so will result in point penalties.
This English literature course aims to help students develop their English abilities in the four core skills of listening, reading, speaking, and writing through a combination of various texts, media and in-class activities. Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to enhance their abilities to analyze literary texts through close reading of the original texts, the provision of supplementary notes, related criticism or essays on the author, as well as videos or audio materials to aid students in their reading and interpretation of the body of work of the author from various perspectives.
This will facilitate students’ overall understanding of environmental literature, or nature writing, in general, and in particular the writings of Robinson Jeffers, one of the greatest American poets of all time and arguably, one of the unofficial 'founding fathers' of environmental writing. This represents part 1 in a two-part course focusing on literature and the environment. In part 1 here, we will look at the writings of poet Robinson Jeffers, who wrote some eternal poems about the environment and the world around him, which included all of its flora and fauna. (In Semester 2, for those continuing on with this course, we will change gears and focus on the prose writings of the Transcendentalists, specifically look at the writings of Henry David Thoreau, with a strong focus on his most famous work, Walden.)
To provide students with a better contextual background, some supplementary materials and information on Jeffers’ philosophy and ideas will also be provided to help students better understand who Robinson Jeffers was, what his influences were, and who in turn he influenced, in order to gain a better understanding of both his times and his lasting legacy on the Environmental Movement and the world of environmental letters. While the theme of English Seminar 7 and 8 is essentially the same (literature and the environment), it is not essential for students to take the following course in the Fall semester if they wish to, or are able to, only join the Spring semester course.
In terms of skills related to English ability and proficiency, students will have the opportunity to improve their English listening skills through listening to the interpretations and analysis of the texts provided by their teacher in class, and via documentaries by scholars online, which they are also encouraged to watch. Group discussions will be held in regular classes on questions directly related to the text and given to students beforehand to reflect upon. Students will also have the opportunity to make a presentation in class (Assignment #3) to help them improve their written proficiency (by preparing a script for the presentation, which they can also use in the essay question of the final exam if they choose Option A) and their spoken English proficiency when they give the presentation in class. Students will give a presentation on one writer or contemporary of Jeffers, such as Una Jeffers, Jaime de Angulo, John Muir or D. H. Lawrence. Students may also choose to present on writers like Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder or Lew Welch, all of whom were influenced by Robinson Jeffers in some form or another. Students will be asked to complete two written assignments on supplementary materials provided in class.
Assignment #1 will be about Jeffers’ text “Stars” along with some short prose works. A digital copy of this text will be provided to students. For this assignment, students will be asked to read the text and answer some multiple-choice and short-answer questions on its contents. For Assignment #2, students will be asked to complete an ecocomposition assignment. Ecocomposition refers to visiting a location in nature (natural urban environments, i.e. those located within the city are also fine) and to write a short essay on their observations and experiences at their location. A sample essay will be provided for students, which they can use as a model or guideline to compose their own short ecocomposition essay. Assignment #3 will be held over two weeks (in Lessons 11 and 12), during which students will give a 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned earlier: a contemporary, friend, influence or ‘disciple’ of Jeffers. Supplementary materials will be provided either in class or by email to help students have more background information to complete the assignments and to better contextualize Jeffers’ times and philosophy. Some guidelines on how to complete these assignments will also be provided by the teacher, to help students improve their abilities in English written composition and expression.
Successful completion of this course should indicate an understanding of…
1. the historical background and contexts of the Conservation and Environmental Movements of the twentieth century, along with their philosophies, impact and legacy on more recent nature writing, activism and advocacy;
2. the style, structure, aesthetics, aims and political and environmental implications of Jeffers’ writings, with a particular focus on Cawdor, regarded by many as one of his great long poems;
3. several ways of analyzing a text, through supplementary readings and slides provided in class;
4. a better background knowledge of ecocriticism and ecopoetics, and how to analyze texts from an ecocritical or ecopoetic perspective;
5. a grounded understanding of the distant roots of our current environmental crisis and the various environmental movements that have been engaged over the past century, including environmental activist and advocacy groups, to tackle the urgent issues of global warming and climate change, species and habitat extinction that affect the whole planet in which we live.
This course also facilitates the development of the following skills…
1. the ability to interpret and discuss a text, based on its historical and cultural context and milieu;
2. the ability to inform an original text through the use of secondary sources;
3. the ability to interpret and understand the literary analysis of other critics and writers;
4. the ability to assess texts from an ecocritical and/or ecopoetic angle;
4. the ability to present an argument or summary of one’s opinion on a literary work.
This course, predominantly conducted in English, will offer enrolled students the opportunity to read and discuss Robinson Jeffers’ poems, including his long poem Cawdor, which was originally published in 1928. We will also talk about some of the contemporary writers (his wife Una Jeffers, anthropologist Jaime de Angulo, British novelist and poet D. H. Lawrence and conservationist John Muir) as well as those who were influenced by Jeffers (Milosz, Bukowski, Dorn, Snyder, Welch and others) in order for students to have a rounded knowledge and understanding of Jeffers’ philosophy on nature, his thoughts on the problematic aspects of Mankind, which he refers to as its “inhumanism,” his interest in “the Sublime,” (following in the footsteps of the Romantic poets), his love of the American continent, its flora and fauna and terrain, and more.
Some supplementary notes from well-known Jeffers critics (such as Hunt, Gelpi, Powell, and Bennett) will be selected by the teacher and provided to students to facilitate their own readings and help them analyze Jeffers’ writings and thoughts from various perspectives. Finally, where possible, the teacher will use any other forms of media (podcasts, online videos, documentaries) to help enrich students’ understanding of this important writer and to help them develop an appreciation and understanding of ecocriticism and ecopoetics as fields for analyzing such texts. The aim of sharing these materials is twofold: to enrich students’ knowledge of Robinson Jeffers; and in a larger sense, the Conservation and Environmental Movements and their philosophies as a whole, including Jeffers’ writings and vision, to help them fully appreciate these ideas in the context of both his times and the modern-day world. It is the teacher’s hope that by studying the writings of Robinson Jeffers, students may become even more interested, engaged and motivated to take a deeper interest in the current ecological and environmental crisis that affects us all.
| 1 | Lesson 1 – An Introduction to Robinson Jeffers & Environmental Literature In our first class for the course, we will begin by briefly discussing the historical contexts and backgrounds of environmental thought in general, and some details about the life and times of Robinson Jeffers will be covered. The brief “Introduction” to the textbook will be covered in the following class (Lesson 2) but some points and concepts taken from this Introduction and other works of criticism will be introduced from Lesson 1. The main concepts that we will focus on in this chapter are “the Sublime” which relates back to the Romantic poets and also the Transcendentalists and "inhumanism" (a core concept in Jeffers). (NOTE: In Semester 2, we will cover Transcendentalist thought and philosophy in more detail). There will also be some basic discussion questions (on environmental writing and the environmental crisis) assigned to students who will share their thoughts in small groups. Each of the weekly assigned readings will be explained as well as the 3 assignments including the methods of evaluation for each respective one. |
| 2 | Lesson 2 – “Robinson Jeffers and the Sublime” (Introduction) In Lesson 2, we will begin by reviewing the key concepts of “the Sublime” and "inhumanism" and will focus on the Introduction (the first 22 pages of the textbook). Some articles or essays on Jeffers will also be shared with students. |
| 3 | Lesson 3 – “The Wild God of the World” (pp. 23-52) In Lesson 3, we will begin studying the short poems that precede Cawdor (one of his major long poems). In this week, we will discuss poems ranging from “Divinely Superfluous Beauty” up to the closing "Ninth Anniversary" poem. Some criticism and reviews of Jeffers shorter poems will also be shared with students. |
| 4 | Lesson 4 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor I (pp. 53-75) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 5 | Lesson 5 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor II (pp. 76-100) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 6 | Lesson 6 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor III (pp. 101-125) In Lessons 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will focus on one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. As this poem is nearly 100 pages long, it will be examined across 4 classes, students covering approx. 25 pages each week. |
| 7 | Lesson 7 – “The Wild God of the World”: Cawdor IV (pp. 126-147) In Lesson 7, we will look at the closing section of one of Jeffers' famous long poems called Cawdor. In this class, students will attempt to summarize the main points and highlights of this long poem. |
| 8 | Lesson 8 – “The Wild God of the World” (148-166) In Lesson 8, now that we have concluded the long poem Cawdor, we will continue to focus on shorter poems covering “Evening Ebb” up to “For Una.” In this class, we will also briefly talk about Una Jeffers, Robinson Jeffers’ wife, and Jaime de Angulo, who was a close friend of Jeffers. We will also examine a chapter on Jeffers by ecocritic Scott Slovic in this week. |
| 9 | Lesson 9 – “The Wild God of the World” (167-184) In Lesson 9, we will cover the remainder of the short poems in the textbook, reading from “Cassandra” up to “Oysters,” the final poem in the book. |
| 10 | Lesson 10 – “The Wild God of the World” (185-200) In Lesson 10, we will read the closing prose sections of the book. This includes some prose letters, previously published introductions and forewords to books by Jeffers. Also, the book closes with some statements about Jeffers’ poetry and poetics by the editor of the book, Al Gelpi. |
| 11 | Lesson 11 – Presentations I In Lesson 11, the first half of the class will give a short 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned above. Students are encouraged to select a writer of prose or poetry whose works focus on the environment or nature in general, or someone who influenced Jeffers or was close to him. For contemporaries of Jeffers, the list includes Una Jeffers (Robinson Jeffers’ wife), Jaime de Angulo (a famous anthropologist scholar who was friends with Jeffers) or other writers who wrote about nature such as D. H. Lawrence or John Muir. Students could also choose a writer who was influenced by Jeffers such as Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder, Lew Welch or others who influenced Jeffers such as William Blake (Jeffers was called the "Pacific Blake"). Students who are not presenting but are part of the audience are expected to participate by asking questions in the short Q&A session after each presentation. Students who ask their classmates questions will be rewarded with bonus points towards their overall participation score (30% of their final score). Students who are NOT presenting in this week (but only listening as members of the audience) will be encouraged to read and study some supplementary materials. |
| 12 | <Lesson 12 – Presentations II In Lesson 11, the first half of the class will give a short 3-minute presentation on one of the writers mentioned above. Students are encouraged to select a writer of prose or poetry whose works focus on the environment or nature in general, or someone who influenced Jeffers or was close to him. For contemporaries of Jeffers, the list includes Una Jeffers (Robinson Jeffers’ wife), Jaime de Angulo (a famous anthropologist scholar who was friends with Jeffers) or other writers who wrote about nature such as D. H. Lawrence or John Muir. Students could also choose a writer who was influenced by Jeffers such as Milosz, William Everson, Charles Bukowski, Edward Dorn, Gary Snyder, Lew Welch or others who influenced Jeffers such as William Blake (Jeffers was called the "Pacific Blake"). Students who are not presenting but are part of the audience are expected to participate by asking questions in the short Q&A session after each presentation. Students who ask their classmates questions will be rewarded with bonus points towards their overall participation score (30% of their final score). Students who are NOT presenting in this week (but only listening as members of the audience) will be encouraged to read and study some supplementary materials. |
| 13 | Lesson 13 – Comprehensive Review In Lesson 13, we will do a comprehensive review of all key discussion questions covered over the course and semester, in order to prepare students for the final examination which takes place in the following week. Of the large list of questions covered each week in class, the teacher will identify the crucial questions (and answers) for students to focus on. We will probably hold a short quiz game in class as an enjoyable way to review the most important content of this course. |
| 14 | In Lesson 14, students will take their final test. All parts of the textbook will be covered in the final test as well as some of the supplementary materials either distributed in class or shared through email (or uploaded onto Google Classroom). There will be three sections to the final test: 1) in the first section students will answer multiple-choice questions (20 pts.); 2) in the second section students will write short-answer questions (10 pts.); 3) in the third section, students will choose ONE out of three topics: Option A (presentation topic in essay form); Option B (a summary of Jeffers’ philosophy and concepts such as “The (American) Sublime” and "inhumanism") or Option C (the legacy of Jeffers’ writings and the relevance of his messages in the modern-day world from the perspective of the ongoing climate crisis). |
板書 /Writing on the Board
スライド（パワーポイント等）の使用 /Slides (PowerPoint, etc.)
上記以外の視聴覚教材の使用 /Audiovisual Materials Other than Those Listed Above
個人発表 /Individual Presentations
グループ発表 /Group Presentations
ディスカッション・ディベート /Discussion/Debate
実技・実習・実験 /Practicum/Experiments/Practical Training
学内の教室外施設の利用 /Use of On-Campus Facilities Outside the Classroom
校外実習・フィールドワーク /Field Work
上記いずれも用いない予定 /None of the above
In addition to the weekly reading assignments from the textbook, students will also be encouraged to read and explore other supplementary sources of information. Some of the supplementary reading materials will be provided by the teacher (either photocopies handed out in class or sent by email) and extra 'recommending reading' sections will be suggested by the teachers to help them enrich their understanding of the texts, Jeffers’ philosophies on the environment, the fields of ecocriticism and ecopoetics and the course overall. Furthermore, students are encouraged to listen to any interesting podcasts, documentaries and online videos on Jeffers, his contemporaries and ‘disciples’ that may help them enrich their understanding of the course.
| 種類 (Kind) | 割合 (%) | 基準 (Criteria) |
|---|---|---|
| 平常点 (In-class Points) | 100 |
Assignment #1 ("Stars")(10%) Assignment #2 (Ecocomposition)(10%) Assignment #3 (Presentation)(10%) In-class discussions and participation(30%) 最終テスト(Final Test)(40%) |
| 備考 (Notes) | ||
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffers, Robinson. | The Wild God of the World: An Anthology of Robinson Jeffers | Stanford University Press | 2003 | 9780804745925 |
| No | 著者名 (Author/Editor) | 書籍名 (Title) | 出版社 (Publisher) | 出版年 (Date) | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zaller, Robert. | Robinson Jeffers and the American Sublime | Stanford University Press | 2012 | 9780804781022 |
| 2 | Bennett, Melba Berry. | The Stone Mason of Tor House: The Life and Work of Robinson Jeffers | Ward Ritchie Press | 1966 | |
| 3 | Van Doren, Mark. | Mark Van Doren on Robinson Jeffers: An Enduring Literary Friendship | Voyages Books & Art Press | 2017 | |
| 4 | Antoninus, Brother. | Robinson Jeffers: Fragments of an Older Fury. | Oyez | 1968 | 9780685046722 |
| 5 | Powell, Lawrence Clark. | Robinson Jeffers: The Man and His Work | San Pasqual Press | 1940 | 9780838306758 |
| その他 (Others) | |||||
| OTHERS: Other relevant information on Jeffers (criticism, essays, articles, supplementary poems and prose) will be provided in class. | |||||
1) The first matter students should be aware of is the attendance policy for this class. Students are required to attend at least 10 of the 14 classes / sessions in order to pass this course. In other words, students who are absent 5 times or more will automatically fail the course. Therefore, students who are planning to undertake an internship, work experience or will be away for a number of weeks during the course should take this in mind. Official absences will only be allowed in cases of illness or bereavement.
2) The second point students should keep in mind is how they will receive a grade for in-class participation. Each week we will hold discussions IN ENGLISH in class. Students are expected to participate in these discussion IN ENGLISH (not in Japanese). Failure to use English during discussions will result in point penalties.
3) Students who enrol in the course are EXPECTED to purchase a copy of the textbook. (Second-hand copies of the textbook are fine but please make sure to obtain the same edition as the one specified in this syllabus or to obtain copies of the same poems through using other resources or texts). If there is a delay in receiving a copy of the textbook after a student has ordered it, students are expected to make photocopies by themselves of the relevant chapters by obtaining a copy of this book from the library. There should be some books of Jeffers' selected or collected poems in the library which students may also feel free to refer to, for making copies of poems or for obtaining supplementary information.
NOTE: Students who are absent from class due to club activities, work experience or some similar reason will not be considered eligible for 'official absence.'
Students should possess either a laptop or iPad or similar device, and have access to some form of software which will allow them to generate slides for their presentation (Assignment #3) such as PowerPoint etc.
Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing on any assignments on tests will automatically incur penalties. (NOTE: This includes using AI software to write essays. However, if students can prove that they have used AI as a tool for learning or generating ideas, not for simply generating their final product, this could be deemed acceptable. Guidelines will be drawn up and shared with students on this matter). Therefore, while students may collaborate or study together both inside and outside the classroom, students are expected to turn in / submit ORIGINAL writing or work for the assignments. Failure to do so will result in point penalties.