01:940:335
LITERATURE AND CULTURE OF SPAIN
This is a survey course in Medieval and Early-Modern Spanish literature. Students will explore different literary genres as we discuss the ideological, religious, social, aesthetic and cultural formations of the time. We will examine in detail the literary strategies that allowed writers (women writers, as well) to support and to challenge the dominant discourses in the time of the Spanish Inquisition. Students will have the opportunity to examine how blood lineage, inheritance, honor, virtue, illness, madness, violence and marriage converged as markers for identity and subjectivity. We will be constantly asking the following question: What methodological adjustments are necessary for examining the medieval/ early-modern societies from the perspective of the 21st century? Does our knowledge of the past enrich our awareness of the present? How does our familiarity with the present enhance our vision of the past?
Prerequisitie:
Successful completion of SPA 215. No exceptions.
Learning Goals:
Students enrolled in this course will improve their communicative competence, general cultural knowledge, research ability and critical analysis as outlined in our Departmental learning goals.
http://span-port.rutgers.edu/learning-goals
Method of Evaluation:
To this end, students will be graded in the following areas:
- Class participation
- Blogs
- Two in-class exams
- Two short (5-7 page) research papers
- In-class critical essay
Required Texts:
- Anónimo. La vida del Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades (1554).
- Calderón de la Barca, Pedro. La vida es sueño
- Gonzalo de Berceo, “El martirio de San Lorenzo”
- Caro, Ana. Valor, agravio y mujer.
- Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel. Novelas ejemplares (1613).
- Don Juan Manuel. El libro del Conde Lucanor
- Selection of poetry
