This course focuses on one of the most charismatic authors of the 20th century. Known primarily as a poet, playwright, and public intellectual, Federico García Lorca cultivated a literary language whose allure has proven to be timeless. By exploring the reasons for this, we will heighten our sensitivity not only to the magical power of Lorca's writing but to the potentially transformative power of language and literature in general.
Lorca's writing (1919-1936) spans a pivotal historical crossroads, when avant-garde artists sought to forge a new, revolutionary style representative of the profound social and political changes sweeping the world. Lorca, like so many others of his day, did so fully cognizant of the national traditions within which he worked, and with a keen desire to modernize those traditions. We aim to develop a deep understanding of how Lorca's verse, plays, and high-profile initiatives intersect with his context in these terms.
Please visit the course web site at http://span254.site.wesleyan.edu/ to review in detail the materials, objectives, and modes of assessment for this course. |