A survey of twentieth century Spanish theater. Representative authors and works of the period are studied from a social, historical, and cultural perspective.
Method of presentation:
Introductory lectures on major themes and relevant background information; discussion of the works and commentaries by students, and attendance at performances related to the material covered in class. Active class participation.
Required work and form of assessment:
In-class commentary and textual analysis and attendance at theatrical performances assigned by the professor (15%); mid-term (25%); small-group oral presentations (15%); term paper (15%); final exam (30%).
content:
1. Introduction: Origins of theatre and historical and social context.
2. Spanish theater until 1936:
a. Jacinto Benavente and the “bourgeois comedy.”
b. Early 20th century poetic theater and its evolution. c. Valle Inclán and the “esperpento.”
d. Azorín, Unamuno, Gómez de la Serna, and experimental theater
3. Spanish theater since 1939:
a. Carlos Arniches and “el género chico.”
b. Lauro Omo and social populism.
c. Miguel Mihura’s humorous theater.
d. Alejandro Casona and poetic theater.
e. Antonio Buero Vallejo and the use of history as pretext. f. Alfonso Sastre and theater of denunciation.
g. Fernando Arrabal/Francisco Nieva and the new experimental theater.
4. Theater of the 1980’s and recent trends
Required readings:
Benavente, Jacinto: Los intereses creados (Austral).
Federico García Lorca: Bodas de sangre (Alianza)
Federico García Lorca: La zapatera prodigiosa (Alianza)
Miguel Mihura: Tres sombreros de copa (Cátedra).
Antonio Buero Vallejo: El tragaluz (Castalia).
José Luis Alonso de Santos: Yanquis y yanquis (Castalia).
Recommended readings:
Huerta Calvo, Javier: El teatro en el siglo XX, Madrid, Playor, 1984.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, dir., Historia del teatro español, Madrid, Gredos, 2003, vol.II.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, y Andrés Peláez Martín, El viaje entretenido. Historia virtual del teatro español, CD-ROM, Madrid, Gredos, 2003.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, Peral Vega, Emilio, y Héctor Urzáiz Tortajada, Teatro español (De la A a la Z), Madrid, Espana, 2005.
Peral Vega, Emilio, Formas del teatro breve español en el siglo XX, Madrid, Fundación Universitaria Española,
2001.
Contemporary Spanish Theater
A survey of twentieth century Spanish theater. Representative authors and works of the period are studied from a social, historical, and cultural perspective.
Introductory lectures on major themes and relevant background information; discussion of the works and commentaries by students, and attendance at performances related to the material covered in class. Active class participation.
In-class commentary and textual analysis and attendance at theatrical performances assigned by the professor (15%); mid-term (25%); small-group oral presentations (15%); term paper (15%); final exam (30%).
1. Introduction: Origins of theatre and historical and social context.
2. Spanish theater until 1936:
a. Jacinto Benavente and the “bourgeois comedy.”
b. Early 20th century poetic theater and its evolution. c. Valle Inclán and the “esperpento.”
d. Azorín, Unamuno, Gómez de la Serna, and experimental theater
3. Spanish theater since 1939:
a. Carlos Arniches and “el género chico.”
b. Lauro Omo and social populism.
c. Miguel Mihura’s humorous theater.
d. Alejandro Casona and poetic theater.
e. Antonio Buero Vallejo and the use of history as pretext. f. Alfonso Sastre and theater of denunciation.
g. Fernando Arrabal/Francisco Nieva and the new experimental theater.
4. Theater of the 1980’s and recent trends
Benavente, Jacinto: Los intereses creados (Austral).
Federico García Lorca: Bodas de sangre (Alianza)
Federico García Lorca: La zapatera prodigiosa (Alianza)
Miguel Mihura: Tres sombreros de copa (Cátedra).
Antonio Buero Vallejo: El tragaluz (Castalia).
José Luis Alonso de Santos: Yanquis y yanquis (Castalia).
Huerta Calvo, Javier: El teatro en el siglo XX, Madrid, Playor, 1984.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, dir., Historia del teatro español, Madrid, Gredos, 2003, vol.II.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, y Andrés Peláez Martín, El viaje entretenido. Historia virtual del teatro español, CD-ROM, Madrid, Gredos, 2003.
Huerta Calvo, Javier, Peral Vega, Emilio, y Héctor Urzáiz Tortajada, Teatro español (De la A a la Z), Madrid, Espana, 2005.
Peral Vega, Emilio, Formas del teatro breve español en el siglo XX, Madrid, Fundación Universitaria Española,
2001.