Table Of ContentHoughton Library of the Harvard College Library
Playhouses of Leaves and Snow
Author(s): Olav H. Hauge and Robert Bly
Source: Erato, No. 5/6 (Summer - Fall, 1987), p. 3
Published by: Harvard Review
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27541238
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given the professor's standards and establish the foundation for future alumnae recall?often verbatim?Al
the intricacy of Greek and English published volumes. Occasionally, fred's wise, aphoristic advice to
verse forms. Also during this too, a student who has avoided?or aspiring dramatists, as well as
period, two writer/scholars who been avoided by?English C will anecdotes of his experiences on
continue to teach at Harvard worked glimpse an admired writer's name in Broadway. Monroe Engel, director
with aspiring playwrights and the course catalogue, drop off a of creative writing at Harvard
fiction writers: William Alfred in summer's worth of stories, poems, or College, and author of several
his popular course "Playwriting," drama on a whim, and find his or her books, including the forthcoming
and Monroe Engel in English M, name on the class list the next novel Statutes of Limitations, works
"Fiction and Narrative." week. Needless to say, competition with fiction writers in English M,
Although Harvard prides itself on for all Harvard writing courses, but and in 1988-89 will offer his course
the literary accomplishments of its particularly those taught by in the fiction of Hardy and
alumni, rarely has such an prominent or popular writers such as Lawrence. Each of these faculty
impressive assemblage of teachers Lowell, Alfred, or Seamus Heaney, members also advises both critical
crossed paths in the Yard as during remains fierce. and creative theses while keeping up
this period. Yet the university Heaney, the current BoyIston with his own writing: both Heaney
continues to improve the scope and Professor, presides each spring over and Engel will publish new books
quality of its writing instruction. English S, an advanced poetry this year.
In 1987-88, over fifty poets,
workshop, while drawing standing After college classes close down
essayists, novelists, short story for the day, a more eclectic series
writers, journalists, and prac of workshops begins under the
titioners of other genres will
auspices of the Harvard Extension
assess the critical and creative
School. Each Monday through Thurs
writing of Harvard students. The Olav H. Hauge
day evening from September to May,
process begins in the freshman year, students from all parts of New
with a required course in Expository PLAYHOUSES OF LEAVES AND SNOW England, of an average age and
Writing. Students choose from such experience greater than that of an
areas as Literature, The Writer1s
undergraduate, arrive for writing
Craft, History, Social and Ethical courses in areas ranging from
Issues, Theory and Practice of These poems don't amount Intensive Grammar Review to Screen
Writing, and an intensive course in to much, just writing. The Extension School's
style and grammar. Each area
some words thrown together offerings reflect the diversity of
operates under the supervision of a at random. its student body: the 1987-88
preceptor who, along with the
And still catalogue lists, under Expository
individual instructors, and
program director Richard Marius, to me Writing, such courses as Travel
determine the format and content of Writing and Writing of Criticism,
there's something good
and in the Creative Writing section,
individual sections. Most impor
in making them, it's Journalism, Children's Literature,
tantly, the preceptors, instructors,
as if I have in them for a little and the old stand-bys Poetry and
and director are writers themselves.
while a house. Fiction.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The Harvard Summer School offers a
find more advanced forums for their I think of playhouses
similar, though slightly more
writing in semester-long sections of made of branches I built
whimsical menu. Workshops in
English C, taught by current as a boy:
Sportswriting and Science Fiction
Briggs-Copeland lecturers Michael
to crawl into them, sit and Fantasy take place beside more
Martone and Christopher Leland
(fiction), Michael Blumenthal listening to the rain, buttoned down sessions in Legal
(poetry), and Lewis Hyde (non in a wild place alone, Writing and Effective Business
Communication. The Summer School
fiction). As with all Harvard feel the drops of rain on your nose
differs from the Extension School as
creative writing courses, admission and in your hair -
well in its intensity, following an
to English C is selective, based on or snowhouses at Christmas,
eight rather than a twelve week
a manuscript submitted at the crawl in and close it after
semester. Thus, while a four credit
beginning of the term. Classes are
limited to twelve to fifteen with a sack, fiction workshop meets for two hours
students, and conducted as light a candle, be there weekly during the fall or spring,
its summer counterpart holds a two
workshops, with readings both of through the long chill evenings.
hour session twice a week. In
established writers and of student
reality, however, the intensity of
work. While many English C alumni translated from the Norwegian
all Harvard writing courses comes
go on to pursue writing careers at by Robert Bly
from within the individual student.
Harvard and beyond, the course also
It can be as hard to earn a D as an
accepts an occasional physics or
A for a semester's required output.
goverment major, and has been known
Usually, students apply and are
to convert pre-meds into poets (and
vice-versa). accepted for admission because they
room only crowds to his eloquent love to write and are good at it,
Particularly promising students
lectures on British and American although the absence of term papers
are encouraged to apply to one of
verse. English Y?"Playwriting"? and exams provides an added bonus.
the advanced composition courses in
meets as always in the English Any subsequent extras?sympathetic
poetry, fiction, and playwriting.
Two or three from this group might Department offices in Warren House, readers, the chance to work side by
side with an admired profession
begin to gear their course selection or in Professor Alfred's living room
toward the requirements for the on Athens Street, where the al?become secondary to the product
instructor has been known to offer itself, rewards for one's talent and
English Department's honors creative
writing option, culminating with a samples of his own works-in-progress diligence in getting thereQ ^^
creative thesis during the senior for evaluation along with student _i3S^^ ft-p ^^?rffi*
year. These first "books" often efforts. Decades of "Playwriting"
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