(a) For my final project I am going to perform a close interpretation of Robert Hass' poem "Palo Alto: The Marshes". The piece touches on several themes we have discussed in class, including California's history and geography.
(b) I will use Brechin as a main source in my interpretation, along with historical documents that Hass had access to as well.
(c) The poem is dedicated to a woman named Mariana Richardson. I have learned from Brechin that someone named Richardson was a conservationist, but I would like to find our more about this woman and her experiences in California that influenced Hass.
I would also like to say a bit about Robert Hass, his role as our Poet Laureate of the United States and his experience as a California poet.
(d) will come soon
(e) Incorporating everything I want to say into one coherent paper will be challenging. I could write an entire paper on Hass' use of birds in the piece.
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1 comment:
Katie,
This sounds like an interesting project, one that will allow you to consider the continued SF literary culture. Hass, with his Bay Area/Berkeley affiliations, is a central figure to consider in the history of literary SF. The directions you mention in the proposal are right on - I like the dual focus on the poem itself, plus consideration of Hass as a certain type of poetic figure (echoes of Ferlinghetti as SF poet laureate, plus the academic/intellectual elements of Beat poetics, etc.). As you're picking up already, the main thing for you to figure out will be the angle from which you'll approach the poem. But this will probably become evident once you start putting together the historical, biographical, thematic elements.
Keep at it, and let me know if you have questions along the way. Looking forward to the paper.
sc
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