Urban Fantasies: The City, Sexuality, and National Identity in the Modern Spanish Novel
SPAN 251
Fall 2021 not offered
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The novel as we know it today reached maturity in Europe in the 19th century against the backdrop of a rapidly changing social and economic context, with the city emerging as a "capital" coordinate (literally and figuratively) on the map of national cultures. The rapid growth of a powerful bourgeoisie is a defining aspect of this cultural dynamic, manifesting itself as it does through demographic changes, urban expansion, and the rise of a bourgeois aesthetic that will come to influence art, literature, and all other forms of cultural expression for decades to come. In Spain, these phenomena are reflected acutely by one of the nation's greatest novelists, Leopoldo Alas ("Clarín"; 1852-1901). Through a close reading of Clarín's "La Regenta" (1884-85), a uniquely insightful and polished work of epic scope that is widely regarded as one of Europe's greatest modern novels, we will seek to evaluate how narrative and the cityscape form interlocking textualities within each of which family, the female, and the nation are protagonist, sexuality a central theme. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HISP)(RMST) |
Major Readings:
Leopoldo Alas 'Clarín', LA REGENTA and other related supplementary materials; please consult course web site for further details: http://span251.site.wesleyan.edu/
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Examinations and Assignments:
- Two midterm exams; a final paper; regular short reading responses posted on Moodle.
- Will organize in-person discussion sessions with small groups of students (2-4) outside of regular instructional time, in an outdoor setting that permits social distancing. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
- This course is intended for students who have completed SPAN 221 with a B- or better. Students who have not done so should consult with the professor before preregistering. Readings, written assignments, and class discussions will be in Spanish.
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CONDITIONS FOR CR/U STUDENT OPTION
The Department of Romance Languages & Literatures normally does not recognize CR/U except for COL students. The reason is that learning effectively in another language calls for regular completion of multiple activities over the course of the term, including faithful attendance and informed participation. In our experience students have counted on grades to determine where to focus their efforts. Because of the pandemic we have made the CR/U option available, but it should be chosen only as a measure of last resort. Since a full university credit is involved no matter what the grading option, bear in mind that CR/U assumes students will complete all graded activities including attendance and participation satisfactorily. Remember, too, that the Hispanic Literatures & Cultures major and study abroad continue to require that courses be completed with a minimum grade. If you take your course CR/U, your professor will record the letter grade and the Spanish section will decide accordingly whether the grade is sufficient for you to continue to the next level, to study abroad, to meet the requirement for acceptance into the major, or for the course to count for the major. If you are having difficulties of any kind, we urge you to contact your professor immediately to see what can be done to address them.
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