Chinese Poetry in the Far West

Although Tang poetry is recognized as one of the great achievements of world literature, much of its beauty is often lost in translation. In this course—intended for students with no knowledge of Chinese—we will thus devote a significant portion of our time learning from scratch how to read Tang poetry in the original by studying the most common characters and the most fundamental grammatical structures found in the Tang “sonnet.” We will also discuss such topics as: differences between Chinese and European poetics; theories of translation and intercultural adaptation; Orientalist fantasies of the ideogram; and the impact of Chinese poetry on Imagism. Students will study and write multiple translations in various styles. Readings will include both poetry and critical theory. No knowledge of Chinese is necessary. 3 hrs. lect./disc.