Span 431 Literary Periods: Contemporary Spanish Women Writers.
Primavera 2004
Dr. Mar Martínez-Góngora
205 Lafayette Hall
Description: This is a course on Twentieth century women writers in Spain. The course
focuses on the narrative genre, including shorts stories as well as novels, by Mercé
Rododera, Esther Tusquets, Josefina Aldecoa, Adelaida García Morales, Carmen Martin
Gaite, Rosa Montero, Soledad Puértolas, Clara Sánchez, Almudena Grandés y Lucia
Etxebarría. During the semester we shall analyze the works of these authors from a variety
of perspectives and applying different theoretical tools, including feminism. The student will
explore the transformation of the female subject on these works. She/he will also learn
about the way that the social and political changes of the period (from the Franco era to the
recent years of Democratic stability), affected women´ lives and literary production in
Spain. The course will be conducted in Spanish. Course requirements include three
examinations and a final project.
Prerequisite: Completion of nine credits of Spanish at the 300 level, including Span 320 or
321, or equivalent (including those specifically required for certain courses).
Bibliography:
Course package
Mercè Rododera. La plaza del diamante. (Original title in Catalan La plaça del diamant)
Barcelona, Edhasa, 1962.
Carmen Martín Gaite. Retahílas. Barcelona, Anagrama,
Rosa Montero. La hija del Caníbal. Madrid: Espasa Calpe, 1998.
Evaluation: The final grade is based on the following:
Participation (Including attendance, class participation, questionnaires and presentations)
(20%); 3 Exams (60%), Final project (20%).
Departmental Attendance Policy:. Students should be aware that any absences from class
may adversely affect the class participation component of their final grade. In any case, no
student may have more than four (4) absences. Students should also note that it is their
responsibility to ensure that they are in compliance with this attendance requirement.
Instructors are not required to remind students of their attendance status. Finally, no makeup exams will be given. Late homework and compositions will not be accepted. The student
is responsible for any material or information missed due to absences.
Class protocol: Besides completing the assigned homework, students are required to read
the assigned pages and to prepare other materials for the class in advance. In class,
students are required to be involved in the activities and they must show their preparation
by participating in the discussions, by asking relevant questions, being critical and
analytical with the contents presented in class as well as by sharing their ideas and
opinions. In class the student is required to maintain a polite demeanor always and under
every circumstance. Also, she or he MUST use Spanish forms of courtesy to interact with
other students and with the professor.
Statement for students with special needs: Every reasonable accommodation will be made
to assist any student with documented special needs to meet the academic requirements
expected of all students enrolled in this course. (Evidence must be presented to the instructor
the first week of class.)
The University Honor Policy will be enforced: Students are responsible for knowing it and
for using it on all assignments in this course.
Phone: Office: 828 1026
E-mail: mmartine@mail1.vcu.edu
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 to 3: 00 P.M (Please make use of
them).
FINAL EXAM: Friday, May 7 2004 at 1:00 PM
Primavera 2004
Programa de clases (Tentativo)
Spanish 330
Enero
Miercoles 21 Introducción al curso.
Viernes 23. Introducción a la narrativa (Friedman 10-24).
Lunes 26. Teoría y crítica feminista. Lecturas de Hélene Cixous (89-98; 245-264); Luce
Irigaray (99-106) y Julia Kristeva (165-167).
Miércoles 28. Lecturas “Introduction”(1-9) de Michéle Barret y Anne Phillpis, Destabilizing
Theory: Contemporary Feminist Debates. “; Moira Gatens,“Power, Bodies and Difference”
(121-137).
Viernes 31. Lecturas de Helen Graham “Gender and the State: Women in the 1940” (182195); Rosa Montero “The Silent Revolution: The Social and Cultural Advances of Women
in Democratic Spain” (381-385); Anny Brooksbank Jones, “Work, Women, and the Family:
A Critical Perspective” (386-392) de Spanish Cultural Studies: An Introduction, Ed. Helen
Graham y Jo Labanyi.
Febrero
Lunes 2. El cuento. Ana María Matute Lectura “El pecado de Omisión” y “La conciencia”.
Miércoles 4. Carmen Martin Gaite. “El Balneario” de Cuentos completos y un monólogo
(178-234).
Viernes 6. Carmen Martín Gaite. “El Balneario” (Cont.)
Lunes 9. Narraciones sobre Madrid: Josefina de Aldecoa “Madrid, Otoño, Sábado” de
De Madrid . . . al cielo (15-21)
Miércoles 11. Almudena Grandes. “Demostración de la existencia de Dios” de Madrid . .
. al cielo (43-59).
Viernes 13. Fanny Rubio “La Brisa” y Clara Sánchez “La vida en el aire” de De Madrid .
. . al cielo (117-134).
Lunes 16. Prueba 1
Miércoles 18. El sur en la cultura del siglo XX. Adelaida García Morales. “El Sur”.
Viernes 20. Adelaida García Morales. “El Sur”.
Lunes 23. Adelaida García Morales. “El Sur”.
Miércoles 25. Adelaida García Morales. “El Sur”.
Viernes 27. Merce Rododera La plaza del diamante (7-36)
Marzo
Lunes 1. La plaza del diamante . (37-75)
Miércoles 3. La plaza del diamante. (77-112)
Viernes 5. La plaza del diamante. (113-153)
Lunes 8. La plaza del diamante. (155-188)
Miércoles 10. La plaza del diamante. (189-254)
Viernes 12. Prueba 2
Lunes 15. Spring Break
Miércoles 17. Spring Break
Viernes 19. Spring Break.
Lunes 22. Fragmentos de El mismo mar de todos los veranos de Esther Tusquets.
Miércoles 24. Fragmentos de El cuarto de atrás de Carmen Martín Gaite. ()
Viernes 26. Carmen Martín Gaite Retahílas ()
Lunes 29. Carmen Martín Gaite Retahílas. ()
Miércoles 31. Retahílas. ()
Abril
Viernes 2. Retahílas. ()
Lunes 5. Retahílas. ()
Miércoles 7. Retahílas. ()
Vienes 9. Retahílas. ()
Lunes 12. Escritoras en la democracia. Rosa Montero. La hija del Caníbal. (9-53)
Miércoles 14. La hija del Caníbal. (54-94)
Viernes 16. La hija del Caníbal. (95-136)
Lunes 19. Rosa Montero. La hija del Caníbal. (137-193)
Miércoles 21. La hija del Caníbal. (194-239)
Viernes 23. La hija del Caníbal. (240-288)
Lunes 26. La hija del Caníbal. (289-338)
Miércoles 28. Fragmentos de Amor, curiosidad, prozac y dudas de Lucía Etxebarría (1358).
Viernes 30. La autobiografía. Fragmentos de Con mi madre de Soledad Puértolas (9-71).
Mayo
Lunes 3. Prueba 3
Fecha de entrega del Trabajo final: Friday May 7 at 1:00 PM
Span 431
Literary Periods: Contemporary Spanish Women Writers.
Dr. Martínez-Góngora
Bibliography
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