Exceptionally good teacher. Makes very complex readings very clear but assigns difficult papers. Definitely one of my two favorite profs of all time.

Best Professor EVER!

Hot Hot Hot, as a tamale. And a darn good teacher too. smart dude who really really knows his material. I learned a lot, and got a good view too!!!

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You learn a lot in the class, but instructions regarding assignments lack clarity. Isn't the most organized. He has obvious passion for literature, but is very opinionated (rightly so) which makes it intimidating to speak up. He genuinely cares about students who are interested in the subject, but has little tolerance for those who do not.

Awesome teacher! Some people don't like him because he's opinionated and goes against the grain of the soft, "how does it make you feel" English dept, but I've learned so much from his classes. I rearranged my schedule one quarter to take two of his courses at once! Highly recommended if you're interested in working a lot and learning a lot.

Henry was one of my graduate advisors and one of the 2 or 3 teachers I've had in my life who made a serious difference to my intellectual development. Highly recommend!

At first I hated him. I thought he was way to pushy with his opinions and didn't know what he was talking about. But then I realized he sort of wants you to challenge him! He likes discussing things and wants to help you see things a different way. He sends out like 2 emails a day trying to help everyone understand everything, and he's super funny.

It seems like people either love him or hate him. I found him incredibly intelligent and inspiring--he may be the reason I stick with the English dept. Don't expect to get your hand held, but if you go to lecture and pay attention, he'll show you a side to English that you won't find from many other Eng profs in this program.

He has a very strong personality and strong opinions. He can be polarizing, but I really like the way he teaches. Interesting lectures and you really learn a lot. I highly recommend if you don't like platitudes.

I would recommend staying clear of Staten if you are hard set in your opinions or are not open to new ideas. Staten is a great teacher, but many who have been "sheltered" may find him offensive. If you're open to new ideas and don't take yourself too seriously, Staten is fantastic. He's hilarious and thought-provoking, with a provocative take on li

Staten is like getting punched in the mouth with a whole tablespoon of knowledge. Intellectually stimulating? Try entirely stimulating. Going to his lecture is like watching The Daily Show while sucking on a lollipop of literature. Staten doesn't teach you, he makes you.

Not a bad prof. He is (according to him) a wife/child-beating, ****, cannibalist-supporter (I think I'm missing a title here). Anyway, that should give you the impression that his lectures aren't horrible. He does teach well. Warning, he is STRONGLY formalist, and will try very hard to make you so as well if you don't already roll that way.

Professor Staten comes off as pushy, but I find his method great for those pursuing an English major. He pushes student to challenge him, though he can seem very pushy. His class is very entertaining, even if he mentioned how much he hated Avatar almost everyday through half the quarter.

Good and bad. Immensely entertaining, extremely opinionated, and sometimes tough to deal with. He doesn't tolerate crap, and writing papers for him is extremely difficult since hes different than other profs and has no sympathy when it comes to grading. Also he'll expect you to know why you think what you think and you'll have defend yourself often

If solely looking for credits, do not take his classes. Come with a genuine interest, and prepare adequate time to learn what he is trying to teach. Straightforward in every aspect; this will either refresh or offend you. One of most valuable profs I have had the pleasure of learning from. 1st one to teach poetry in a way that does not make me gag.

This professor cares enough to correct his students and educate them rather then leave them misinformed or mistaken. He sets the bar high but exerts himself to try and help students rise to the occasion. Language precision and an open mind are what you will need to bring to the table.

A dedicated professor!

A very intelligent Prof with a true passion for literature; when he reads excerpts from texts aloud in class, he is always fully engaged and fun to listen to. He's tough but fair, and sets a higher standard of learning. Very challenging, but in a good way; I can tell he truly cares about our education. And, he'd play music for us in the morning. :)

Unintelligent? A thin-skinned product of baby boomer coddling and modern education? You need not apply. If you seek a challenge and crave a progressive, deeply passionate, old-school INTELLECTUAL, Staten is your man. Amazing professor.

I LOVE Prof. Staten! He's hilarious and very passionate about English. He's not an easy grader but he wants his students to learn. His class is always very interesting and entertaining.

5, 2 page papers. Very straightforward. ATTEND LECTURE! If you memorize his notes (he gives you his notes for each reading via email) then you will do more than excellent on your midterm/final. He likes that students are engaged and ask questions although he is very opinionated, he still wants to hear your thoughts.

Extremely challenging class. I attended every day and enjoyed every minute. Be prepared to work hard. One of the rare professors that make UW a top notch University.

I took ENGL 301 with Staten, and with his permission I am in his graduate seminar. He is an essential prof for English majors. If you are a thinker, take him. If you're determined to be coddled you should look elsewhere, but he's a good guy. People mistake his intensity for close-mindedness. Just make sure your analysis is grounded in the text.

A well-versed academic who does not sacrifice his knowledge and your learning for your comfort. If you aren't prepared to have your points challenged don't do it. But you will grow. Very well-read and passionate. Take the class. Save poetry while we're at it.

I have a huge amount of respect for Staten. When I think back to my time at UW, time spent in his classes (315 and 202) are some of my fondest moments. He will chew you up and spit you out, but it will be worth it. Some say he's rude and unwavering in his analyses, but I found this both entertaining and necessary. He WILL challenge your intellect.

Staten's a complete jerk, but for the first time in my life I can actually understand poetry. Be prepared to work hard, feel like crap, and yet somehow learn! Be prepared to never be taken seriously and feel like everything you say or write makes no sense. He is one intimidating professor, yet I believe his classes are still worth taking.

Staten's stated goal is to help students get their money's worth in his class. He isn't a coddler and won't let students get away with half-done work. He's very intelligent and he knows this, and this can seem cocky but it's the result of decades of study and he's earned his confidence. Be prepared to work hard and be all the better for it.

Staten gets a bad wrap. While he calls you out, it's always in order to get you to specify what you're saying and defend your stance, rather than to make you feel unintelligent. People have always warned me against taking him, and yet in taking his class, I felt both comfortable and encouraged, contra other comments.

Staten's personal concepts of the nature of literature are infused in how he teaches material. Some people like this, and others do not. If you are easily triggered by those who share their views, do not take his class. If you appreciate when the masters of a subject bring share their views, take his class and consider his ideas. I loved his class.

authenticity

Attendance is pretty optional, however, you'll have less ideas for your papers and won't know how to analyze things in the way that he wants them analyzed. Henry has an interesting way of interpreting things that must be learned to pass the class. Every day of class is not important, though.

Henry was a great professor! He thoroughly explained the material while still allowing for students to ask questions during the lectures. His papers were easy and straightforward, and he gave us the questions for the midterm and the final ahead of time! There was a lot of reading but it was manageable. Go to lectures and discussion sections!!!

This was an interesting class. Staten clearly knows his stuff, but there will certainly be times where he rather unfairly expects you to have the context to understand some of the concepts. Not to say that the class was bad by any means, especially since lectures were informative and interesting, but be ready to be pushed in a different way.

Prof. Staten is one of my favorite professors. Lectures are not mandatory but you will truly learn stuff through it so I highly recommend attending all of the lectures. He's very knowledgeable and passionate about literature and gives very straightforward feedbacks to students. Take his class if you are not afraid of being challenged by a professor

His approach to literature is pretty unique and can be somewhat challenging to adapt to his style. That being said, he is a great teacher who challenges and refines your thinking and way of interpreting and understanding literature.

a lot of these reviews are dramatic. basically, he lets the TAs do all the grading, & you can tell hes really passionate about all the books & poems we talk about. hes really nice & funny. make sure you read the books & poems before coming to class so it makes sense to you! 2 exams 60% of your grade. 5 short papers worth 40% of your grade.

This class was pretty easy, Henry Staten was a good professor. there was a a 2-3 page paper due every other monday and you don't need to go to every class. If you go to at least one lecture where he addresses the reading for the paper then you will pass the class with an easy A

Professor Staten is one of the best professor Ive met in UW. He is unconventional. His lectures are spontaneous, and he really likes to talk about the subjects he is passionate about. We had to write 3 papers and he made the 4th one optional because he liked our class. All yo have to do is listen to him during lectures. Participation is his fav.

Staten provides a definitive reading of the progression of ideas in literary criticism and theory. You read small amounts of text closely, rather than in a normal grad course, where the reading exceeds what you can metabolize (I like those classes too). This clear focus is an asset in a discipline that prides itself on having no center and no edge.

I wrote the kind of mean of review below contrasting prof. Staten to robin williams character... I take it back. Staten is a really good professor, I learned a ton in his class and would definitely take it again. Hes tough on u sometimes but only when u mail it in, which is to say hes fair. If u want to improve ur lit skills, def take his class

I've had the opportunity to take Staten a few times. He can be polarizing and an acquired taste for some because of his formalist views, but he is really an awesome professor. He deeply cares about his students' learning and is a bonafide genius. He just wants to make you think. His class will be what I remember when I think of my time at UW.

Staten was objectively terrifying and strangely condescending the first couple weeks of the quarter, but as we got into material he warmed up and the passion he had for the works was palpable. He is a gifted lecturer who is able to succinctly explain concepts and made papers very easy to write. HIs class was a great introduction to the discipline.

Overall good class. His lectures are fairly interesting and there isn't too much homework. The grading is pretty easy as everything is graded by the TAs, although your grade depends solely on various essays and timed essays, so you need to be a decent writer to do well. Occasionally seems a bit dismissive of questions, but usually open to them.

Professor Staten is by far the easiest grader I've ever had. his class flows well and his lectures are engaging. oh my god there are cameras in my walls tear down your walls tear down your walls tear down your walls. peel off your skin peel it off peel off your skin. overall a true 5/5 would take again. professor Staten is a true American patriot.

So, I would give him a 5, but he's kind of a jerk in a non endearing kind of way at times. If you can get past that, no one in the English department will push or challenge you as much as he will. Unlike others, he graded our papers. He wasn't easy on us by any means. It just comes down to what's more important to you...GPA or knowledge with grit.

Freshman yr I hated this guy. After having him again as a Junior, I have so much respect for him. Truly so knowledgeable & if you actually listen, his lectures are captivating. He can be a little out-of-pocket & very precise with literary terms, so if you're easily bothered or a non-English major I don't recommend. Only 2 essays & readings for hw.

Prof. Staten's abrasive in that fun old man sort of way where he's railing against the deterioration of college English course quality one minute but is also a committed Marxist. If you like that personality, he's one of the best profs at UW. An unyielding wealth of knowledge, the most informative lectures, and a weeklong essay grace period

Lectures are interesting and relevant to the assigned readings. Although the course was lecture-heavy, they were entertaining and I was never bored. Participation is mandatory, so be aware. The course only had three major grades(essays). He gives good, instructive feedback. He isn't an easy professor, but I learned a lot and recommend him.

Lots of reading and reading quizzes, but the quizzes aren't hard as long as you read the books. Not given a clear rubric for essays but easy to get a good grade

At first, I was intimidated by Prof. Staten because he's a bit nitpicky about the answers you give in lecture, but as time went on, I realized he's actually super chill. I should have ended lower than a B, but since I performed well in attendance/pop quizzes (I actually read the material), he bumped it up a bit. tldr: just read the assigned books

Prof. Staten is actually a very nice professor, down to earth, and chill. Responsibilities in class are simple, read assigned readings, prove you can read it, and then write simple essays for mid terms and finals. Lectures are open, engaging, and helpful for learning. I actually learned a lot.