About the Course
The Odyssey in Poetry is a 6-week workshop where we will study poetry that writes and rewrites The Odyssey. We’ll read works by Louis Glück, Osip Mandelstam, Anne Carson, Mary Ruefle, Wallace Stevens, Derek Walcott and others that retell the classic mythology of The Odyssey and examine them side-by-side with translations of the original, examining how this classic poem has transformed language over time. In this densely packed class, we’ll move quickly through a wide range of texts to examine the classic poem’s relationship to beauty, heroism, tragedy, love, the self and other themes that endure in contemporary poetry.
This is a great class for anyone who want to get to know the classic text better through a contemporary lens! We’ll be reading excerpts from various translations of the original Odyssey (mostly the Lattimore, Fagles and Wilson translations) along with interpretations and retellings by modern and contemporary poets. We’ll think about ideas such as the many viewpoints on a character over time, the function of retelling in language and the relation between lyric and narrative beauty. Each class will include lecture, group discussion and workshop components.
The course will be taught by Hua Xi, who has previously taught writing and poetry at Stanford, MIT and Parsons.
Weekly Curriculum
- Week 1: The Odyssey and its Translations — We will begin the course by comparing translations of the Odyssey, ranging from the well-known (Wilson, Fagles, Lattimore) to lesser-known one-off translations or translations into and back from other languages. We’ll examine how translations convey distinct worldviews on poetry and storytelling, as it shifts over time.
- Week 2: Lyric Beauty and The Odyssey / The Odyssey, The Self and “I” — One of the ways in which poets often retell the story of The Odyssey is by drawing out and expanding on its lyric beauty. In this class, we’ll discuss the role of beauty in general and how the classic poems and its reinterpretations challenge and shape that ideal. Next, we’ll also look at the shift in point-of-view in poetic storytelling over time and examine contemporary poems which shift The Odyssey’s narrative to an intimate, first-person voice. We’ll discuss how this changes the story being told and write our own first-person accounts based on the classic poem.
- Week 3: Hero Mythologies — The Odyssey is a hero narrative that has shaped countless others but also diverges from hero myths in its own ways. This week, we’ll look at a range of poems that narrate the lives and feelings of Odysseus, Achilles and several other characters, particularly their relationship to heroic themes including morality and fate.
- Week 4: Poems About Penelope — Perhaps the figure most commonly written about in contemporary poetry is Penelope, waiting at her loom for Odysseus’ return. This week, we’ll look at poems about Penelope, waiting, womanhood, domesticity and other related themes.
- Week 5: The Past in “Fragments” — This week we’ll look at experimental interpretations of The Odyssey from poets, fiction writers and artists. We’ll also experiment with our own reinterpretations in a series of writing exercises that encourage students to make bold cuts to the original poem.
- Week 6: The Odyssey Across Language — A concluding class where we’ll discuss the role of language in shaping our understanding of the classic myth. Students will also read and workshop their own poems.
All class sessions will be interspersed with group discussion and workshop.
Eligibility
This class is open to those at all writing levels. Casual, occasional readers interested in deepening their understanding of The Odyssey are welcome as well as more experienced poets who want to seriously engage with the work. Additional optional, advanced assignments and readings will be available for students interested in a more in-depth understanding of the text, and possibly an additional group workshop if there is interest. Students must be 18 or over.
Course Dates and Times (6-week writing workshop)
The course will be 2-hours a week for 6 weeks. The class will be offered in two different time slots to accommodate different student schedules. Students can choose to enroll in either one:
Session A: Sundays, October 18 – November 22, 1pm – 3pm ET / 10pm – 12pm PT
Session B: Sundays, October 18 – November 22, 4pm – 6pm ET / 1pm – 3pm PT
Tuition
$635
Additional Course Logistics
The class will be held on Zoom. No additional supplies are required. All readings will be provided via PDF, though some may wish to print them out.
Spots in each class are first-come, first serve.
Enroll
Please enroll in the course using the form below. When you click SUBMIT, you will be taken to a Stripe form to finalize payment and confirm your spot in the class. Class spots are first-come, first-serve and both classes are capped. For any technical issues or alternate payment methods, you can email me at flowers4xyz @ gmail
Enrollment Form
Testimonials From Past Students
These are testimonials from a previous online course I taught titled The Poetry of Everyday Language:
“Hua strikes me as part sculptor, part surgeon. She peels back the flesh of the work and shows you the bones underneath. And then she points out the sky. I started to notice new angles; she equipped me with language for what seemed ineffable in a piece. She approaches each poem with curiosity and reverence. Under her guidance, the workshop becomes a space of rigor, grace, and sincerity. Learning from Hua rejuvenated my poetry practice at a time I really needed it; I took myself more seriously afterwards. I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to learn from her, and would strongly recommend her classes to anyone who is looking to deepen their practice.” – L.G.
“Hua organizes wonderful workshops. Her curation of material and her insights during workshopping were generous and encouraging. Ideas of what I thought poetry was and had to be were thoughtfully dismantled and cut through. What remained was a love and understanding of language at its most essential. I am deeply grateful to Hua for impressing this and much more onto my writing life.” – J.K.
“Hua’s class on the Poetry of Everyday Language taught me that plainspoken language is a precision instrument, especially when injecting small moments of complexity or abstraction into otherwise direct, literal lines, so that everything before a metaphor quietly prepares the ground for it. Her feedback helped me see that accessible language, used with care, can carry weight. I highly recommend her classes. Her teaching was both technically rigorous and genuinely generous.” -K.O.
“”I discovered Hua Xi’s writing in The Paris Review #250 and instantly felt inspired by the tight and imaginative artistry. I took her “Poetry of Everyday Language” class because I knew that her tutelage, feedback, and cultivation of talented peers would uplift my poetic work. Not only did it do that for me but it also changed my view of everyday language in itself. The best classes develop your skills, and they also develop your sense of life. Hua Xi’s class does just that.” -M.C.
“My workshop with Hua was illuminating and gave me practical tools to enhance my poems through the use of everyday language. Her care, support, and knowledge about the poems shared in class provided necessary guidance to hone my language in service of my work. I would highly recommend taking any class of hers.” — T.H.
Additional Course Policies
Refund policy: Withdrawals up to 14 days before the start of class are subject to a $95 cancellation fee. This is to discourage students enrolling merely to hold a spot without actually intending to take the course. After the start of class, refunds cannot be offered but plans for making up coursework in unexpected circumstances can be discussed.
Make-Up Policy: If you are unable to attend one session, you may attend the other session for that week. Some makeup sessions or materials may also be provided.