Spanish 227

Introduction to the Study of Hispanic Literature II

Illustration by Guisela Latorre and Miguel Latorre

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Section TuTh 9-10:15

Section TuTh 12-1:15

Professor Dara E. Goldman

Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Course description:

The principal objective of this course is to provide an introduction to the literatures of Spain and Spanish America produced during the last three centuries (XVIII-XX). It will emphasize both the major periods and movements in light of cultural, artistic, social and historical contexts and the methodology for reading those texts through literary analysis appropriate for a variety of genres.

Significant literary works will be examined along with the historical context in which they were produced. In order to better understand this literary and cultural history, we will analyze the issues that facilitate, generate and/or impede pan-American and transatlantic dialogues among the diverse traditions covered. Therefore, the course is divided into sections that focus on specific concepts (as indicated below). The concepts will serve as a critical lens through which we will examine the canonical Spanish and Spanish American literary and cultural works of a particular historical period.

Along with this fundamental knowledge, this course will also emphasize the basic skills of literary criticism as an academic discipline. You will therefore be required to engage in rigorous critical analysis of textual genres and forms (i.e. novels, short stories, drama, essays, poetry, film and music) and to construct thorough critical arguments in response to the works studied in the course.

This combination of familiarity with literary and cultural histories, an understanding of significant critical issues that intersect with these histories and analytical skills constitute the foundation of literary scholarship in Spanish. In this way, the course will also act as preparation for more advanced studies in the discipline.

• Course materials and resources:

We will be using one primary anthologies in this course:
- Sklodowska, Elzbieta & Ben A. Heller. Huellas de las literaturas hispanoamericanas

The following texts are also required:
- García Lorca, Federico. La casa de Bernarda Alba.
- Vega, Ana Lydia. Falsas crónicas del sur.

All of the above are available at the Illini Union Bookstore.

There is also a photocopy packet that is available at Notes & Quotes (502 E. John St.).

Copies of the recommended readings will be available via the Reserve Desk in the Undergraduate and/or may be accessed electronically via the Reserve Room link within the UIUC Library Gateway system.

All of the assigned films (except Suite Habana) will be available at the Media Center in the Undergraduate Library. Although we will often analyze specific aspects or scenes of the films in class, we will not have time to view the entire movie. Therefore, it will be your responsibility to have watched the film before class on the designated date (either during a designated group screening or on your own).

• Pre-requesties

Please be advised that Spanish 225 is a pre-requisite for this course. If you have not fulfilled this requirement, you need to speak to the departmental undergraduate advisor (Amy Swanson) as soon as possible. If you fail to do so, you may be removed from the course at a later date.

• Course requirements:

Above all else, this course requires thorough preparation and rigorous analysis of the assigned readings. (Please not that, unless otherwise indicated, you should read the introductory material included in Huellas on each assigned author.)

Attendance and active participation in class discussions are expected. In the case of written assignments, you should present a clear critical understanding of the material--which includes concise analysis of works studied and the insightful reflection on this material.

All written works should be typed, double-spaced, grammatically accurate (including spelling and diacritical marks) and formatted according to Modern Language Association guidelines (see Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers).

The final grade will be based on the following components:

All of the above components constitute fundamental requirements of the course. Hence, failure to satisfactorily complete ANY of the above may prevent you from receiving credit for the course. Therefore, if you are concerned at any point about your ability to successfully complete any of the assignments, please contact me at your earliest possible convenience.

• Attendance and Deadlines:

Because so much of this course is based both on the comprehension of cultural and historical information that will be presented in class and a critical engagement with the ideas elucidated in the readings, regular attendance is an essential component of the course. If you need to miss class for any reason, you should contact me in advance. If you miss more than four sessions due to unexpected absences, you must obtain official documentation in order to receive full credit for the course.

All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the designated date. Any written assignment may be turned in after class on the designated day with minimal penalty. In this case, the assignment must be given to me personally, given directly to an administrative assistant in 4080 FLB who will time-stamp its receipt or handed in electronically (as an attachment). Late work will not be accepted unless authorized by me before the due date or by a dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

• Message from thr Registrar

OWING TO THE LARGE DEMAND FOR THIS COURSE, STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES MAY BE DROPPED FROM IT TO FREE SPACE FOR OTHER STUDENTS WHO WISH TO REGISTER.

Additional materials will also be made available via the Blackboard® site for this course.

Please check Blackboard® for current announcements, assignments and other course materials.

Access to Blackboard is restricted to UIUC students. If you are a registered student in Span340 and are not able to access Blackboard, please contact Professor Goldman or CITES Educational Technologies.

other courses taught by Professor Goldman:

Mapping Identites: The Discourse of Space and the 20C. Spanish American & Caribbean Essay (Span 440)

Women, Gender and Sexuality in 20C. Spanish American & Caribbean Literature (Span 256)

Gendered Voices in 20C. Spanish American Literature (Span 340)