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In May, Carol Ann Duffy was appointed Britain's poet laureate. She is the first woman to take the post that has been held by Dryden, Wordsworth and Ted Hughes amongst others. The first part of the seminar focuses on the works of British poets laureate from the 17th century to the present, from Dryden to Duffy. Then we proceed to 20th century and contemporary works of poets laureate from other Anglophone countries such as Canada (George Bowering) and the US (Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Frost). As the poet laureate occupies an official post and is appointed by the government, he or she is expected to write about events of national interest and royal life. However, opinions on what counts as a significant topic differ: While Alfred Austin found it worth commenting on the Prince of Wales's sickness, Andrew Motion announced that people should "not expect any poems about Prince William's birthday." Central questions of this class will deal with the representation of the nation in poetry and the ways in which the post of poet laureate influences poetry.
