Learning outcomes
On completion fo this module students should have:
-
a good knowledge of the Spanish Civil War, the Franco dictatorship and the transition to democracy
-
specific knowledge of four texts tht reflect the key issues of these years
Brief description
A study of the making of modern Spain from the turmoil of the Second Republic and the trauma of the Spanish Civil War 1936-39, through to the Franco Dictatorship and the transition to democracy after Franco' death. Against this sociopolitical background, students explore through major repreesentative works (of novel, film and poetry) the experience of living in twentieth-century Spain.
In their assignments students may choose to emphasis either literary/cultural or sociopolitical issues, or the way the latter are treated by writers.
Syllabus:
Weeks 1-6: the Second Republic and the Spanish Civil War: two crucial phases illustrated by Alberti's depiction of Madrid under siegein De un momento a otro (poesia) and by Cela' tremendista novel, La familia de Pascual Duarte.
Weeks 7-12: The two novels by ATxaga and Grandes are read against the background of the political changes which took place in Spain following the Franco regime and Spain's transition to a democratic, pluralist nation.
Reading Lists
Books
** Recommended Text
Carr, Raymond (1985) Modern Spain 1875-1980
Oxford
H Thomas (1977) The Spanish Civil War
Harmondsworth
Preston, Paul Franco
Gilmour, David (1985) The Transformation of Spain
London
Preston, Paul (1986) The Triumph of Democracy in Spain
London
Balcells, J.M. (1993) Introduction to Rafael Alberti, De un momento a otro.
Barcelona
Nantell J A (1987) 'Ordering the Chaos: Rafael Alberti's Elegia civica,
Hispanofila 57-80
Wesseling P (1977) 'Violence in Counterpoint: Alberti's Poems of 1935' - Also Revolution and Tradition,The Poetry of R Alberti, Chapel Hill 1981
Hispanofila 220-26
Bowra C M Poetry and Politics, p 124 etc - The Creative Experiment
Lonsdon 1949, 220253 ( on Alberti)
Rose Alan (1991) Surrealism and Communism
New York
Havard Robert (2001) The Crucified Mind
Tamesis London
Hoyle Alan (1994) Cela: La familia de Pascual Duarte, critical guide
Grant & Cutler
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5