OTOÑO 2001 404
Peters; tel. x8189
MWF
š La crisis de 1898 y el discurso
de la decadencia š
Off.hrs.: Mon & Wed
Messages:
The fastest and most efficient way to
contact me is via email. You can also leave a message with Blanche Villar at
x8185, or stick a written note in my box in 301 Peters.
Texts:
·
Unamuno, Miguel de. Niebla. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.
·
Baroja, Pío. El
árbol de la ciencia.
·
Valle-Inclán, Ramón del. Sonata de primavera.
·
Valle-Inclán, Ramón del. Luces de Bohemia.
·
Machado, Antonio. Poesía completa. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.
·
Ortega y Gasset, José. La rebelión de las masas.
·
Class
reader/Antología de textos (available in 301 Peters)
·
Lecturas
recomendadas (available in 301 Peters)
Course description:
The concept of decadence is quite prominent in
Western art, literature, and philosophy of the late 19th and early
20th century; but in 19th and 20th-century
Between 1895 and 1939, especially, Spanish
intellectuals were overwhelmingly obsessed with one question: Will or should
While some intellectuals devised plans to
“heal” their “sick” fatherland, others by contrast embraced the idea of
decadence, moral corruption and even sexual perversion. Several expressed their
existential doubts in highly innovative and entertaining forms of literature.
Meanwhile, the country was in a permanent state of political upheaval,
characterized by several major episodes of labor protest and repression
(especially 1909), a military dictatorship (1923-30), attempts at democratic
reform and modernization following the proclamation of the Second Republic
(1931) and a bloody civil war (1936-39), which would result in another 36 years
of a semi-fascist dictatorship (1939-75).
Apart from the problematics of nationhood, therefore, two other
recurring motives of the course will be the philosophical conflict between reason and irrationalism, and the political relationship between the
writer/intellectual and the masses. Guided by these three thematic clusters, in
this course we will read novels, essays, plays, and poetry by six different
authors, most of whom are considered to belong the so-called Generation of
1898. As we will see, however, this “Generation” is a doubtful construct.
Towards the end of the semester we will discuss how this construct has been
appropriated and distorted by Francoism (1939-1975), and how Spaniards have
dealt with this intellectual heritage since.
Course
requirements
This
course is set up like a seminar, with a minimum amount of lectures and a
maximum amount of class discussion. Class attendance and participation are
crucial. To stimulate and focus the discussions, students will write short
response papers for almost all readings assigned, sometimes based on specific
questions formulated beforehand. Each class, one or more students will be in
charge of initiating and leading the discussion.
In
addition to the response papers, students are expected to write three more
formally structured research papers over the course of the semester,. These papers will be around 4, 5, and 8 pages each.
Towards the end of each major work read, two students will give a 10-15 min. presentation based on two scholarly articles, after which they will be in charge of the class discussion.
Evaluation
The final
class grade will be broken down as follows:
·
Participation and attendance 15 %
·
Response papers 15 %
·
Midterm papers (2 @ 20 %) 40 %
·
Final paper 30 %
Other
regulations
·
This course is covered by the