Introduction to Hispanic Literature (3 US Credits) DESCRIPTION AND GOALS: This course focuses on readings and discussion in Spanish of a variety of texts by leading Hispanic and Hispanic-American writers covering genres and themes; designed to emphasize reading, discussion, and enjoyment rather than literary criticism. This course also aims at improving the students’ reading, writing, and analytical skills when dealing with Spanish texts. While reading these texts, students will also explore the underlying social and cultural values in them. SYLLABUS WEEK 1 1. POETRY. Modernism in Hispanic Literature. 1.1. Introduction to the genre. Poetic language. 1.2. Poetry texts:

- José Martí: “Yo soy un hombre sincero”/ “Si ves un monte de espumas”/ “Cultivo una rosa blanca”, from Versos sencillos - Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera. “La duquesa Job” - Julián del Casal: “Crepuscular” / “Neurosis” - José Asunción Silva: “Nocturno” - Rubén Darío: “De invierno” / “Ite, missa est” / “De otoño” / “Sonatina”

1.3. Modernism in Spain. 1.4. Poetry texts:

- Ramón del Valle-Inclán: “Rosa de furias” / ”Rosa de oriente” - Manuel Machado: “Felipe IV” / “Jardín neoclásico” - Antonio Machado: “El viajero” / “El hospicio” - Francisco Villaespesa: “Autorretrato” / “El reloj” - Juan Ramón Jiménez: “El poeta a caballo” / “Vino primero, pura”

WEEK 2 2. FICTION: The Latin American Boom. 2.1. Historical and literary overview. Precursors. Magical realism. Post-Boom. 2.2. Fiction texts:

- Jorge Luis Borges: “Los dos reyes y los dos laberintos” - Juan Rulfo: “No oyes ladrar los perros” - Gabriel García Márquez: “Un día de estos” - Laura Esquivel: Como agua para chocolate

WEEKS 3-4

3. FICTION: Last trends of Hispanic fiction. Latin American fiction:

- Cristina Peri-Rossi: “Primer amor” - Isabel Allende: “María la boba” - Antonio Skármeta: El cartero de Neruda (Essay)

Spanish fiction:

- Esther Tusquets: “Orquesta de verano” - Javier Marías: “En el viaje de novios” - Lucía Echevarría: “Flores para Sally” - Adelaida García Morales: El sur (Essay)

METHODOLOGY To pave the way for class discussion, the instructor will provide easy explanations on the features of different literary genres and on the selected authors and texts. However, much of class time will be devoted to commentary and discussion of the texts by students. Therefore, students will need to read and prepare the texts to be covered in class beforehand at home. In addition, they will need to read the following three books: - Como agua para chocolate, by Laura Esquivel - El cartero de Neruda, by Antonio Skármeta - El sur, by Adelaida García Morales and write 3 two-three-page essays, the first one on poetry, and the other two on the last two books mentioned above (as indicated on the syllabus), on topics suggested by the instructor. Deadline to hand in each of the essays: TBA. As a complement to the course, students will watch movie adaptations of some of the books read throughout the course. Students will work with two types of materials:

- A reader with texts to work on in class and at home. - The three books mentioned above.

ASSESSMENT Students’ grades will be calculated according to the following breakdown: - Participation: 10% - Class assignments: 20% - Take-home written assignments: 30% - Final exam: 40% BIBLIOGRAPHY CÁRDENAS, Julio, Antología de la Poesía Hispanoamericana, México: Editores Mexicanos Unidos, 1976. ENCINAR, Ángeles y PERCIVAL, Anthony (eds.), Cuento español contemporáneo, Madrid: Cátedra, 1993. ESQUIVEL, Laura, Como agua para chocolate, FRIEDMAN, Edward H., VALDIVIESO, Teresa L., VIRGILIO, Carmelo, Aproximaciones al estudio de la literatura hispánica, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998 (4ª ed.). GARCÍA MORALES, Adelaida, El sur, Barcelona: Anagrama, 1985. GIMFERRER, Pere, Antología de la poesía modernista, Barcelona: Península, 1981. GRACIA, Jordi, MARCO, Joaquín (eds.), La llegada de los bárbaros. La recepción de la literatura hispanoamericana en España, 1960-1981, Barcelona: Edhasa, 2004 . JIMÉNEZ, José Olivio (ed.), Antología de la poesía modernista hispanoamericana, Madrid: Hiperión, 1985. LANGA PIZARRO, María del Mar, Del franquismo a la posmodernidad: la novela española (1975-1999), Alicante: Publicaciones de la Universidad de Alicante, 2000. ORTEGA, Julio (compilador), Antología del cuento latinoamericano del siglo XXI: Las horas y las hordas, México: Siglo Vientiuno editores, 1997. OVIEDO, José Miguel, Historia de la literatura hispanoamericana, 4 vols., Madrid: Alianza, 2001.

RICO, Francisco, La poesía española. Antología comentada, 3 vols., Barcelona: Círculo de Lectores, 1991. SHAW, Donald L., The Post-Boom in Spanish American Fiction, New York: SUNY Press, 1998. SKÁRMETA, Antonio, El cartero de Neruda, Barcelona: Debolsillo, 2005. VALCÁRCEL, Eva (ed.), El cuento hispanoamericano del siglo XX. Teoría y práctica, La Coruña: Universidad de La Coruña, 1997. ***The student must be registered for Spanish III or have an equivalent level of Spanish. Note: Class attendance is essential in all courses. Therefore, it will be checked daily.

Missing classes will negatively affect the student’s final grade.