The objective of this course is to analyze the connection between literature and politics in 20th-century Spain. Through the study of authors, works and literary movements, the course covers some of the historical and literary landmarks in contemporary Spain. Literature is a prominent element in the construction of occidental societies, both their political systems and their public forums. Writers use their works to position themselves in the political debate, constructing collective identities and provoking reactions. In addition to the aesthetic component inherent in every literary text, these works also contain ideological, social and political values. The course focuses on this interaction.
Prerequisites:
None
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students will:
• Have a familiarity with the development of Spanish literature throughout the 20th century.
• Be accustomed to critically reading and commenting on literary texts.
• Be able to present models of historical and social analysis that explain the connection between literature and politics.
• Analyze texts using models that enable them to notice the connection of those texts with historical developments and their contextual realities.
• Have a critical and dynamic attitude towards the learning of literature.
Method of presentation:
Students are required to read different literary works. In order to facilitate their comprehension, class lectures will focus on their historical, social and aesthetic contexts. Class participation is required as readings will be discussed in class, analyzing their connection with basic concepts of the course. Occasionally, some class lectures may be exclusively theoretical in order for the instructor to clarify concepts.
Required work and form of assessment:
• Mid-term exam, 25%. To be assessed: both theoretical concepts acquired throughout the first part of the course as well as students’ capacity to critically comment and contextualize texts.
• Final exam, 30%. The exam will assess theoretical concepts acquired throughout the course as well as students’ capacity to critically comment and contextualize texts.
• Class participation, 20%. Involvement, participation, attitude and constant work throughout all course sessions as well as tasks and required readings indicated by the instructor.
• Required research paper, 25%. The paper will be 10 pages and focus on one aspect of the literary works studied in class. Students’ capacity of analysis, as well as the skill to relate to Spanish literary works, will be assessed. Students should use bibliographical sources for the paper.
content:
WEEK 1
Introduction
Reflections on politics and literature. Concepts of public sphere and literary field. Creation of the intellectual class.
Readings: Theoretical texts.
WEEK 2
Crisis literature (1)
End-of-century crisis. Generation of '98. Apathy and weariness as an existential attitude and a literary topic.
Readings: Dossier including different texts by authors from the Generation of 98.
WEEK 3
Crisis literature (2)
End-of-century crisis. Generation of 98. Social criticism. Apathy and weariness as an existential attitude and a literary topic.
Readings: El árbol de la ciencia (Pío Baroja).
WEEK 4
Dehumanization and avant-garde
Introduction of European cultural movements. Avant-gardes and the end of traditional forms of representation.
Readings: Dossier including different poetical texts from the Generation of '27.
WEEK 5
Literary commitment and literature by soldiers
Literature and violence. Testimony as a form of commitment.
Readings: Selection of fragments from La ruta (Arturo Barea) and El blocao (José Díaz Fernández).
WEEK 6
Mid-term exam and required research paper. Once they are corrected, students are to have a meeting with the instructor in order to discuss the course development.
WEEK 7
Weapons and arts
Ideological, social and literary division within the country. The literature of combat service. Literature from the trench.
Readings: Fragments from Contraataque (Ramón J. Sender), El cojo (Max Aub), Madrid, de corte a cheka (Agustín de Foxá). Dossier including poems and “teatro de circunstancias” plays.
Field study activity: Visit to the National Historical Archive of the Spanish Civil War.
WEEK 8
Rewriting of the war
Interpretation of recent Spanish history from exile and from inside Spain. Literature as a form of social confrontation.
Readings: Réquiem por un campesino español (Ramón J. Sender)
WEEK 9
Writing Franco’s regime
Re-founding of the nation. Myths and legends in Franco’s Spain. Censorship and inner exile.
Dissidence from inside Spain.
Readings: Historia de una escalera (Antonio Buero Vallejo). Excerpts from La familia de Pascual
Duarte (Camilo José Cela) and Nada (Carmen Laforet).
Field study activity: Salamanca tour aimed to observe Franco’s regime changes visible in urban place names and landscape.
WEEK 10
Literature and memory (1)
Writing as a way of not forgetting. Literature of the Republican exile. Authors, movements and main features.
Readings: Dossier including texts by exiled authors.
WEEK 11
Literature and memory (2)
Writing as a way of not forgetting. Spanish citizens in concentration camps: writing of horror.
Readings: Historia de Vidal and Ese olor (Max Aub).
WEEK 12
Literature and democracy
Writing in democracy. New narrative trends. Literature and social criticism. Literature of disappointment.
Readings: Dossier including texts by authors writing after 1975.
Required readings:
El árbol de la ciencia, Pío Baroja (Madrid: Cátedra, 1998).
Réquiem por un campesino español, Ramón J. Sender (Barcelona: Destino, 2002).
Historia de una escalera, Antonio Buero Vallejo (Madrid: Alianza, 2005).
Dossier of texts presented by the instructor in class
Recommended readings:
Reference sources:
Historia de la literatura española del siglo XX. F. Canavaggio (Barcelona: Ariel, 1998).
Teatro español del siglo XX. C. Oliva (Madrid: Síntesis, 2002).
Antología de la poesía española del siglo XX, J. Paulino Ayuso (Madrid: Castalia, 1996).
Las épocas de la literatura española, F. Pedraza y M. Rodríguez (Barcelona: Ariel, 2002).
Manual de historia de la literatura española, vol. 2., L. Rodríguez Cacho (Madrid: Castalia, 2009).
¿Qué es la literatura?, J. P. Sartre (Barcelona: Losada, 2000).
Historia de la novela española (1936-2000). I. Soldevila Durante (Madrid: Cátedra, 2004).
Literatura y política, M. Vargas Llosa (México D. F.: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2002).
Specific bibliography for each topic will be presented in class.
Spanish Literature And Politics In The 20Th Century
The objective of this course is to analyze the connection between literature and politics in 20th-century Spain. Through the study of authors, works and literary movements, the course covers some of the historical and literary landmarks in contemporary Spain. Literature is a prominent element in the construction of occidental societies, both their political systems and their public forums. Writers use their works to position themselves in the political debate, constructing collective identities and provoking reactions. In addition to the aesthetic component inherent in every literary text, these works also contain ideological, social and political values. The course focuses on this interaction.
None
By the end of the course, students will:
• Have a familiarity with the development of Spanish literature throughout the 20th century.
• Be accustomed to critically reading and commenting on literary texts.
• Be able to present models of historical and social analysis that explain the connection between literature and politics.
• Analyze texts using models that enable them to notice the connection of those texts with historical developments and their contextual realities.
• Have a critical and dynamic attitude towards the learning of literature.
Students are required to read different literary works. In order to facilitate their comprehension, class lectures will focus on their historical, social and aesthetic contexts. Class participation is required as readings will be discussed in class, analyzing their connection with basic concepts of the course. Occasionally, some class lectures may be exclusively theoretical in order for the instructor to clarify concepts.
• Mid-term exam, 25%. To be assessed: both theoretical concepts acquired throughout the first part of the course as well as students’ capacity to critically comment and contextualize texts.
• Final exam, 30%. The exam will assess theoretical concepts acquired throughout the course as well as students’ capacity to critically comment and contextualize texts.
• Class participation, 20%. Involvement, participation, attitude and constant work throughout all course sessions as well as tasks and required readings indicated by the instructor.
• Required research paper, 25%. The paper will be 10 pages and focus on one aspect of the literary works studied in class. Students’ capacity of analysis, as well as the skill to relate to Spanish literary works, will be assessed. Students should use bibliographical sources for the paper.
WEEK 1
Introduction
Reflections on politics and literature. Concepts of public sphere and literary field. Creation of the intellectual class.
Readings: Theoretical texts.
WEEK 2
Crisis literature (1)
End-of-century crisis. Generation of '98. Apathy and weariness as an existential attitude and a literary topic.
Readings: Dossier including different texts by authors from the Generation of 98.
WEEK 3
Crisis literature (2)
End-of-century crisis. Generation of 98. Social criticism. Apathy and weariness as an existential attitude and a literary topic.
Readings: El árbol de la ciencia (Pío Baroja).
WEEK 4
Dehumanization and avant-garde
Introduction of European cultural movements. Avant-gardes and the end of traditional forms of representation.
Readings: Dossier including different poetical texts from the Generation of '27.
WEEK 5
Literary commitment and literature by soldiers
Literature and violence. Testimony as a form of commitment.
Readings: Selection of fragments from La ruta (Arturo Barea) and El blocao (José Díaz Fernández).
WEEK 6
Mid-term exam and required research paper. Once they are corrected, students are to have a meeting with the instructor in order to discuss the course development.
WEEK 7
Weapons and arts
Ideological, social and literary division within the country. The literature of combat service. Literature from the trench.
Readings: Fragments from Contraataque (Ramón J. Sender), El cojo (Max Aub), Madrid, de corte a cheka (Agustín de Foxá). Dossier including poems and “teatro de circunstancias” plays.
Field study activity: Visit to the National Historical Archive of the Spanish Civil War.
WEEK 8
Rewriting of the war
Interpretation of recent Spanish history from exile and from inside Spain. Literature as a form of social confrontation.
Readings: Réquiem por un campesino español (Ramón J. Sender)
WEEK 9
Writing Franco’s regime
Re-founding of the nation. Myths and legends in Franco’s Spain. Censorship and inner exile.
Dissidence from inside Spain.
Readings: Historia de una escalera (Antonio Buero Vallejo). Excerpts from La familia de Pascual
Duarte (Camilo José Cela) and Nada (Carmen Laforet).
Field study activity: Salamanca tour aimed to observe Franco’s regime changes visible in urban place names and landscape.
WEEK 10
Literature and memory (1)
Writing as a way of not forgetting. Literature of the Republican exile. Authors, movements and main features.
Readings: Dossier including texts by exiled authors.
WEEK 11
Literature and memory (2)
Writing as a way of not forgetting. Spanish citizens in concentration camps: writing of horror.
Readings: Historia de Vidal and Ese olor (Max Aub).
WEEK 12
Literature and democracy
Writing in democracy. New narrative trends. Literature and social criticism. Literature of disappointment.
Readings: Dossier including texts by authors writing after 1975.
El árbol de la ciencia, Pío Baroja (Madrid: Cátedra, 1998).
Réquiem por un campesino español, Ramón J. Sender (Barcelona: Destino, 2002).
Historia de una escalera, Antonio Buero Vallejo (Madrid: Alianza, 2005).
Dossier of texts presented by the instructor in class
Reference sources:
Historia de la literatura española del siglo XX. F. Canavaggio (Barcelona: Ariel, 1998).
Teatro español del siglo XX. C. Oliva (Madrid: Síntesis, 2002).
Antología de la poesía española del siglo XX, J. Paulino Ayuso (Madrid: Castalia, 1996).
Las épocas de la literatura española, F. Pedraza y M. Rodríguez (Barcelona: Ariel, 2002).
Manual de historia de la literatura española, vol. 2., L. Rodríguez Cacho (Madrid: Castalia, 2009).
¿Qué es la literatura?, J. P. Sartre (Barcelona: Losada, 2000).
Historia de la novela española (1936-2000). I. Soldevila Durante (Madrid: Cátedra, 2004).
Literatura y política, M. Vargas Llosa (México D. F.: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2002).
Specific bibliography for each topic will be presented in class.