A Day with T.S. Eliot
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 15 Nov 2025End Date: 15 Nov 2025Sat (Daytime): 10:30 - 16:30In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 1 sessionCourse Code: HLT164Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This in-college literature course offers an introduction to one of the major poets of the twentieth century: T. S. Eliot. We will explore his poetry from his debut ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ to the modernist masterpiece The Waste Land, with wider references to his critical essays and other poetry. Eliot is known for the ‘difficulty’ and allusiveness of his writing: what might his approach teach us about modern poetry? How might we understand Eliot’s place in modernism and literary history more broadly?
What will we cover?
We will read texts from across Eliot’s career, with a focus on his poetry. Throughout, our attention will be on close, critical readings of the poems as we immersive ourselves in Eliot’s creative thinking. There will be opportunities to read the poems aloud and to test out different ways of engaging with the poetry, and to consider how Eliot’s literary influences shaped his writing.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Confidently discuss a range of Eliot’s poetry
- Understand and appreciate Eliot’s poetic themes and techniques
- Practice skilful close reading and analysis of poetry.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Some previous study of poetry would be useful, but this course is open to anyone with a curiosity and enthusiasm for poetry, a willingness to read and discuss poems, and an openness to the views and ideas of others.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught through a mixture of tutor presentation, group discussion, small group activities, and close reading and analysis.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
The tutor will supply in-class materials comprising the poems under discussion and any additional reading.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
The tutor will also be teaching the longer online course HLT367 A Survey of 20th Century Poetry, starting on 13 October and the short online course HLT368 Ways into Poetry on 4 October 2025.
Look for other Literature courses in fiction, poetry, drama and literary non-fiction on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk under History, Culture & Writing/Literature.
You may also be interested in taking a creative writing course at City Lit. Learn more about short stories in Reading for writers: the short story (a fortnightly course) and practice your skills in Short story writing.
All students are invited to join us at "https://www.citylit.ac.uk/city-lit-presents-late-lines" Late Lines, our regular
performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to
"http://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines". Between the Lines is our annual anthology of creative writing. For the
latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department
on"http://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting" and " http://www.twitter.com/citylitwriting".
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.