Tentative Description of

An Introduction to Spanish Literature

This course will cover the Spanish literary history from Mio Cid to the Spanish Civil War. It is designed to be taught in one semester (16 weeks), every week with two classes of 75 minutes. Texts are chosen to represent major genres, canonical works and main literary trends in the covered historical period. Modernized editions of the medieval texts will be used. Audio-visual materials will also be incorporated into the course. Students will be introduced to make their two papers (mid-term and final) available online (linked to the special web page created for the course). Questionnaires containing 3-5 questions each are regularly prepared for every class. Students will give written answers to these questions and turn in the task before the class begins.

While the class is dedicated to reading and analysis of the chosen texts, general outlines of Spanish literary history, as well as several theoretical and critical essays, will be required as material for oral presentations, through which students could have a relatively comprehensive and critical understanding of the subject. Two students together will give one presentation. For several presentations, students chosen are responsible for preparation of the presentation materials. They are encouraged to search on Internet and in library.

Texts

Poema de Mio Cid, ed. Castalia Didáctica

Lazarillo de Tormes, Cátedra

Fuente Ovejuna, Lope de Vega, Castalia

Rimas, Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Cátedra

Bodas de sangre, García Lorca, Cátedra

Course Schedule

1. Introduction. General historical outlines, and logic of cultural transformation. Roman legacy, Spanish language, Islamic/Christian/Jadaic "convivencia," Romanticism and Realism, Generación 98, and Modernist movement. Sign-sheet for oral presentations.

2. Poema de Mio Cid, 1-505

3. Poema de Mio Cid, 506-1086. Oral presentation, "Some Psychodynamics of orality," by Walter Ong, in his Orality and Literacy, chapter 3, pp. 31-77

4. Selections from Mio Cid, cantar segundo and cantar tercero.

5. Epic Ballads, circles of Fernán González, "Siete Infantes de Lara," Bernarndo del Carpio, and "el rey don Rodrigo," from Romancero, ed. Paloma Díaz-Mas. Samples of romancero, CD-ROM (edition of Díaz- Mas) and /or tape (Joaquín Díaz)

6. Lazarillo de Tormes, Prólogo, tractado I-III

7. Lazarillo de Tormes, tratados IV-VII. Oral presentation: picaresque genre, origin, style, titles, influence.

8. Film: Lazarillo

9. Don Juan Manuel, El Conde Lucanor (Story 11, 32, 35)

10. Miguel de Cervantes, El retablo de las maravillas

11. "El Licenciado Vidriera." Oral presentation: Life and works of Cervantes, from Historia de la literatura española.

12. María de Zayas y Sotomayor, "La fuerza del amor"

13. Fuente Ovejuna

14. Fuente Ovejuna

15. Fuente Ovejuna. Oral presentation; Life and works of Lope de Vega. Student will have to find his own materials to be presented to the class.

16. Partial exam

17. Francsico Goya, Los caprichos. Alfonso E. Pérez Sánchez: Introduction in Goya and the Spirit of Enlightenment

18. Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Rimas

19. Rimas

20. José Espronceda, "Canción de pirata," "El reo de muerte," El estudiante de Salamanca (fragment); Rosalía de Castro, En las orillas del Sar (selection). Oral presentation: Susan Kirkpatrick, "Spanish Paradigms of the Romantic Self." In Las
Románticas: Women Writers and Subjectivity in Spain, 1835-1850.

21. Clarín, "Adiós, Cordera;" "La conversión de Chiripa"

22. Emilia Pardo Bazán: Selection from Ángel del Río, Antología general de la literatura española

23. Galdós: Selección from Doña Perfecta. Oral presentation: Life and works of Benito Pérez Galdós.

24. Miguel de Unamuno, San Manuel Buen, mártir

25. Niebla, Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho Panza. Selection from Ángel del Río, Antología general de la literatura española. Oral presentation: The Generation of 98 and Spanish-American War

26. Bodas de Sangre

27. Bodas de Sangre

28. Bodas de Sangre. Oral presentation: the Generation of 27

29. Film: Carlos Saura, Bodas de Sangre

30, 31, 32. Holidays, final exam, presentation of final papers, etc., fiesta?