Sites of Resistance & Memory: Theater, Performance, & Political Consciousness in Contemporary Spain
SPAN 261
Spring 2017 not offered
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Compared to other literary genres, and given its essentially social (public) format, the theater is an especially vulnerable mode of cultural expression and therefore becomes the natural prey of both overt (institutionalized) and covert (social) systems of censorship. The tendency for authoritarian regimes to scrutinize stage practices is exemplified by the official (state) censorship that prevailed under Franco (1939-1975) and that prompted Spanish playwrights to develop subtle strategies for resisting authority in the name of democracy and for dialoguing with their society, as playwrights are wont to do, regarding the crucial social and political concerns of the day. The parliamentary regime born in aftermath of the dictator's death ushered in an era of fervor and experimentation unprecedented in recent Spanish cultural history, one in which playwrights have increasingly embraced the struggle against more covert (social) forms of censorship in attempting to craft a new social order for a new political context: a democratic mindset that will serve to solidify the foundations of the young democratic state. Our goal in this course is to trace these trends through a close reading of key works by the major Spanish playwrights active since 1939. We will focus on context, on how the theater, society, and politics are intertwined, through evaluating both works of dramatic literature and the place and meaning of the public, commercial, and alternative theater circuits where many of these plays were premiered. Our aim, broadly, is to understand the extent to which collective memory and national identity, as staged over the past three-quarters of a century, have become a battleground where Spaniards either seek or resist reconciliation with their shared history. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA RLAN |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HISP)(RMST)(THEA) |
Major Readings:
Plays by Antonio Buero Vallejo, Alfonso Sastre, José Martín Recuerda, José María Rodríguez Méndez, Fernado Fernán Gómez, José Sanchis Sinisterra, Fermín Cabal, Francisco Nieva, Juan Mayorga, Llüisa Cunillé, Laura Ripoll and Angélica Liddell
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Examinations and Assignments:
Six to eight short response papers (1 page maximum each)
A final paper
A final oral exam |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
The requirement for this course is SPAN 221 or any other upper-level Spanish literature course. Readings, written assignments and class discussions will be in Spanish. |
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