31356 - Hispano-American Literature 3

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows in a satisfactory way the general problems and single aspects of the history of literature. He is able to understand and translate texts in the original language, he has acquired the basic theoretical knowledge necessary to face the critical interpretation of their contents and is able to comment and expose texts according to specific methodologies for the analysis of the literary text .

Course contents

Un temporal en una taza de té: XXth century Spanish-american poetry between tradition and innovation

The course aims to provide knowledge on the Spanish-American poetry of the century, starting with Modernism (Rubén Dario), and then moving on to an in-depth examination of the major avant-garde figures (Pablo Neruda, Vicente Huidobro, César Vallejo, Oliverio Girondo) , finally arriving at some post-war trends, such as Nicanor Parra's antipoetry, the Chilean neo-avant-garde of the 1970s and the neo-baroque of the 1980s. Parallel to the historical panorama, some texts considered to be particularly significant will be read and the student will be provided with the theoretical tools for a serious and in-depth analysis of the poetic text.

Readings/Bibliography

a. Primary Sources:
Darío, Rubén, Azul. Cantos de Vida y Esperanza, Madrid, Cátedra, 1995 (selezione di testi).
Huidobro, Vicente, Altazor Temblor De Cielo, Madrid, Catedra, 1994.
Vallejo, César, Trilce, Madrid, Cátedra, 1999 (selezione di testi).
Girondo, Oliverio, Obra Completa, Madrid, Archivos, 1999 (selezione di testi).
Neruda, Pablo, Canto general, Madrid, Cátedra, 1992 (selezione di testi).
Parra, Nicanor, Poemas para combatir la calvicie, Mexico, Fondo de cultura economica, 1993 (selezione di testi)

 

b. Secondary sources:

b1. Essays:

Verani Hugo J., Las vanguardias literarias en Hispanoamérica: manifiestos, proclamas y otros escritos, México, Fondo de Cultura Economica, 1995 (selezione di testi).

Yurkiévich, Saúl, Fundadores de la nueva poesía latinoamericana: Vallejo, Huidobro, Borges, Girondo, Neruda, Paz, Lezama Lima, Barcelona, Edhasa, 2002.

Sucre, Guillermo, La máscara y la transparencia. Ensayos sobre poesía hispanoamericana, México, F.C.E., 1985.

b2. Theory:
Paz, Octavio, Los hijos del limo, Barcelona, Seix Barral, 1974.
Jakobson Roman, “Linguistica e poetica” in Id., Saggi di linguistica generale, Milano, Feltrinelli, 1966.
Benveniste Emile, “I livelli dell'analisi linguistica” in Id., Problemi di Linguistica Generale, Milano, Il Saggiatore, 1966.

c. Analytical tools:

Beltrami, Pietro G., Gli strumenti della poesia, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2002.
Mortara Garavelli Bice, Manuale di retorica, Milano, Bompiani, 2003.
Beccaria Gian Luigi (a cura di), Dizionario di linguistica e di filologia, metrica, retorica, Torino, Einaudi, 1994. Marchese, Angelo, L'officina della poesia : principi di poetica, Milano, Mondadori, 1997.

Cultural & Literary History

II year:

Williamson Edwin, Historia de América Latina, México, F.C.E, 2013 [terza parte, XX secolo: pp. 307-553]

Antonucci Fausta e Stefano Tedeschi, Letteratura ispanoamericana. Storia e testi dalla Scoperta al Modernismo, Roma, Aracne, 2008 [Il modernismo, pp. 323-420]

III year:

Williamson Edwin, Historia de América Latina, México, F.C.E, 2013 [quarta parte, "Hacia una nueva era": pp. 555-612]

Readings:

- choose from: G.G. Márquez, Cien años de soledad (ed. Cátedra, Madrid) o C. Fuentes, La muerte de Artemio Cruz (ed. Cátedra, Madrid)

-J. L. Borges, Ficciones (or. edition)

Teaching methods

In addition to the lectures, the course includes seminars on some topics related to the sources studied, as well as the theoretical and methodological tools relevant to their study (further information will be provided during the lessons)

Assessment methods

The exam will be divided into two parts: (a) preparation of a critical essay (essay) of ca. 15 records and (b) oral interview.
(a) Regarding the term paper (which must be delivered to the teacher at least one week before the date on which they intend to take the exam) it will be an analysis of a topic or a text addressed during the course. (Non-attending students are strongly encouraged to contact the teacher for useful information on this aspect).

An essay coherently developed, well written, not without a certain interpretive perspicacity will lead to an evaluation of excellence; the lack of one or more qualities mentioned, will lead to evaluations that will result in discrete or sufficient evaluations; an incoherent essay, insufficiently developed, scarcely or at all relevant to the subjects touched in the course, or manifestly the result of copying and pasting, will not allow to be admitted to the oral exam.

(b) The oral examination will consist of an interview which will cover the topics of the course. As for the first year, the interview will have the purpose of evaluating the critical and methodological skills acquired by the student who will have to demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the contents of the texts examined and of the proposed bibliography. The student's achievement of an organic vision of the topics dealt with in a joint lesson with their critical use, the demonstration of an expressive mastery and specific language will be evaluated with marks of excellence.
The mostly mnemonic knowledge of the subject, in-depth synthesis and analysis skills and a correct but not always appropriate language will lead to discrete evaluations.
Approximate knowledge, superficial understanding, poor analytical skills and not always appropriate expression will lead to evaluations between sufficiency and little more.
Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the contents and bibliographic materials proposed in the program can only be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

We will mainly resort to video projection of images, texts and slides. For a better organization of materials and contents the online platform of the course will be used, the materials made available are INTEGRANT and NECESSARY (but not sufficient) of the exam program.

Office hours

See the website of Edoardo Balletta