Fall 2008

SPN 372 • Modernity and Social Transformation in 20th Century Spanish Literature

Course Description

This is a survey course, organized around three broad historical periods: the first third of the century, to 1930, when Spain was primarily rural (Campos de Castilla, García Lorca's poetry) with growing class tension (Luces de Bohemia); the Spanish Civil War (1936-39, El lápiz del carpintero) and subsequent dictatorship (1939-1975, La doble historia del Dr. Valmy); the last quarter of the century, when Spain has been much more urban, liberal, and integrated into European, and international contemporary contexts (Nueve obras, Amor, curiosidad..., El sueño oscuro). We will combine this social context with a comparative literary approach, comparing neo-traditionalist, avant-garde, realist and lyrical forms of expression and reading various poetic, dramatic and narrative prose works. Our goal is to sample both the dramatic social transformation of Spain and its equally impressive literary evolution over the course of the century.

Grading Policy

A course journal (9%); a quiz (5%); a midterm exam (15%), a final exam (30%); two short compositions (30%); in-class participation (10%).

Texts

1. Antonio Machado, Campos de Castilla 2. Federico García Lorca, Antología poética (esp. Romancero gitano, Poeta en Nueva York) 3. Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Luces de Bohemia 4. Antonio Buero Vallejo, La doble historia del Dr. Valmy 5. Manuel Rivas, El lápiz del carpintero 6. Paloma Pedrero, Nueve obras en un acto 7. Lucía Etxebarría, Amor, curiosidad, prozac y dudas 8. Blanca Andreu, El sueño oscuro

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