Programme

Forms of fiction in Spain between the 17th and 20th centuries

The course aims to analyse in a diachronic perspective some canonical texts of Spanish fiction and to explore the evolution of the narrative voice and the point of view. The student will be led to have 1) a good knowledge of Spanish fiction between the 17th century and the first part of the 20th century through the critical reading of a selection of short stories and novels and the narratological analysis of the texts in the programme; 2) deepen the historical and cultural context to which the texts in the programme belong.

Texts

1. Miguel de Cervantes, Novelas ejemplares, Madrid, Cátedra (Prólogo, El casamiento engañosos; El coloquio de los perros). The texts are also available at cervantesvirtual.com);
2. José Cadalso, Cartas marruecas: Introducción, Carta XX, Carta XXI, Madrid, Cátedra (texts are also available at cervantesvirtual.com)
3. Mariano José de Larra, Artículos de costumbres: Un reo de muerte (available at cervantesvirtual.com)
4. Benito Pérez Galdós, Tristana, Madrid, Cátedra (compulsory ed.);
5. Miguel de Unamuno, Niebla, ed. M. J. Valdés, Madrid, Cátedra. (compulsory ed.);
6. Carmen Laforet, Nada, ed. J. Teruel, Madrid, Cátedra; (compulsory ed.).

Criticism and notions of literary history

1. R. Rossi, 'Nineteenth-Nineteenth Century' in: Mario Di Pinto, Rosa Rossi, La letteratura spagnola dal Settecento ad oggi, Milan, Rizzoli (BUR) or Milan, Sansoni-Accademia. Chapters 9-13.
2. F. Antonucci, Il Novecento letterario spagnolo: percorsi, Pisa, ETS (unit 6);
3. M. Socrates, ‘Novelas ejemplares’ in Cervantes' Il riso maggiore, La Nuova Italia (provided by the lecturer);
4. L. Chines, C. Varotti, Che cos'è un testo letterario, Rome, Carocci (ch. 3);
6. The introductions and notes of the editions indicated as compulsory (see ‘TEXTS’ sections);
7. Other critical materials provided by the lecturer; handouts on the history of literature and historical context provided by the lecturer.

Core Documentation

See: TEXTS and Criticism and notions of literary history in "Programme"

Reference Bibliography

See «TEXTS» and «Critical texts and notions of literary history»

Type of delivery of the course

Lectures on the historical and literary context that the student will study in depth and complete through the study of the textbook in the syllabus; analysis of the works with particular attention to the function and evolution of the narrative voice and point of view; written and oral exercises. The reading of all the texts in the syllabus is a prerequisite for the use of the lessons as well as for the preparation of the exam.

Attendance

Attending students are required to participate actively and regularly in the courses and to carry out the activities and exercises in progress. For non-attending students, a SPECIFIC PROGRAMME is envisaged (different from that for attending students) which the student must request by e-mail from the lecturer at least 2 months before the exam call. There will then be a MANDATORY cognitive interview during which the lecturer will provide the necessary information and access to a self-study platform set up specifically for this mode. Those who have not followed this procedure will not be allowed to sit the examination.

Type of evaluation

Final oral examination, with possible modifications to the study programme based on what was done in the classroom. Final oral examination during which knowledge of all the contents of the programme and lectures will be assessed. The skills acquired will also be assessed. The parts checked with the exercises and individual work carried out during the lessons will be excluded, if necessary.

Programme

“Forms of the self in Spanish fiction: authorial identity and narrative identity.”
The course will explore the evolution of Spanish prose from a diachronic perspective; in particular, the different declinations of the relationship between author, narrator and character will be examined. The student will be brought to have a good knowledge of Spanish fiction between the 17th century and the early 20th century through a critical reading of a selection of short stories and novels. The course will be structured around the following points:
- theory of narrative text analysis;
- reading and analysis of the texts in question also in relation to their context.

Core Documentation

TESTI (follow the specific edition indicated for the preparation of the examination):

- Miguel de Cervantes, Novelas ejemplares: Prologue, El casamiento engañoso; El coloquio de los perros (available on cervantesvirtual.com);
- José Cadalso, Cartas marruecas: Introduction, Letter XX, Letter XXI (available on cervantesvirtual.com);
- Mariano José de Larra, Artículos de costumbres: Un reo de muerte (available on cervantesvirtual.com);
- Benito Pérez Galdós, Doña Perfecta, ed. I. J. López, Madrid, Cátedra;
- Miguel de Unamuno, Niebla, ed. M. J. Valdés, Madrid, Cátedra;
- Camilo José Cela, La colmena, ed. J. Urrutia, Madrid, Cátedra.

Reference Bibliography

CRITICS and LITERARY HISTORY AND HISTORY NOTICES: - Mario Di Pinto, Rosa Rossi, Spanish literature from the eighteenth century to the present, Milan, Rizzoli (BUR) (only chapters IX, X, XI and XIII); - F. Antonucci, The Spanish literary twentieth century: paths, Pisa, ETS (unit 6); - Introductions to the recommended editions of Doña Perfecta, Niebla and La colmena (see “Texts” section); - Handouts and/or other teaching materials made available by the lecturer.

Type of delivery of the course

1) General presentation of each of the four texts or blocks of texts into which the programme is divided; information on the historical-literary context. Lectures. 2) Analysis of the female characters in the context of each of the works on the programme. Introduction to the different methodologies of analysis useful for works of drama, fiction and poetry. Lectures, classroom exercises, exercises to be carried out at other times as part of individual study. 3) The historical-literary reference framework, which will be presented in the frontal lectures, will have to be deepened by the students through the study of the Criticism and Literary History texts indicated under "Adopted texts".

Attendance

Active and consistent attendance is strongly recommended for adequate preparation for the exam. The attending student will be led to do a series of on-course exercises during the course that may contribute 30 percent to the final skills assessment. Non-attending students are encouraged to contact the lecturer at least two months prior to the call they intend to appear at. During the interview, the lecturer will point out the specific syllabus for the 'non-attending' mode, which is different from the one indicated above, but which makes use of a self-study platform (with interactive learning materials and self-assessment quizzes) to support individual study. Those who have not followed this procedure will not be allowed to take the exam.

Type of evaluation

Forms of ongoing assessment of theoretical-methodological and literary notions are planned through a series of individual exercises and presentations and/or group work assigned in the classroom (or on the Microsoft Teams platform) to be carried out in both written and oral form, reserved for students and students who attend regularly. The final oral examination will assess general knowledge (items 1 and 3 of the Terms of Reference) and the theoretical-literary skills acquired (item 2), excluding any parts that may have been tested through individual exercises and work.