Latin American Literature 1
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The course provides the necessary training of the main features of Hispanic American literature through the comparison with its most representative texts, analyzed with particular attention to the mechanisms of identity construction and intercultural dynamics in colonial contexts. The student is introduced to the methods and tools of literary analysis in a historical-cultural and comparative perspective, typical of the study of literature in a continental perspective.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: The student learns to read and understand the main reference texts, in the original language, through basic analytical methods and tools, learns to place them in geographical contexts and corresponding historical periods, starts to learn the main theories and methodologies of the discipline. Applied skills: the student knows how to recognize the most significant structural characteristics of the works analyzed and understands their main historical and social implications. He also develops the communicative skills to revise the acquired disciplinary contents.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Second semester
During the emergency teaching phase, the programme is maintained with the following modifications necessary for a good online use of the course originally designed for in-presence teaching:
The lessons will be held mainly in asynchronous form, by means of ppt audio lessons available on the page dedicated to Ariel's course. There will be at least two meetings per month, in presence or through Zoom or Teams platform, in which the learning and acquisition of skills will be tested through exercises and group activities. For students who will not participate in group activities, alternative online activities will be arranged through the Classroom platform (a page dedicated to the course will be activated, the access code will be available in Ariel at the beginning of the course). The Classroom platform will also be used for the exchange of supplementary materials, for the establishment of a permanent discussion forum on the course and for constant communication with the teacher.
All updates on activities and the calendar of synchronous meetings will be published by the beginning of the lessons.
The lessons will be held mainly in asynchronous form, by means of ppt audio lessons available on the page dedicated to Ariel's course. There will be at least two meetings per month, in presence or through Zoom or Teams platform, in which the learning and acquisition of skills will be tested through exercises and group activities. For students who will not participate in group activities, alternative online activities will be arranged through the Classroom platform (a page dedicated to the course will be activated, the access code will be available in Ariel at the beginning of the course). The Classroom platform will also be used for the exchange of supplementary materials, for the establishment of a permanent discussion forum on the course and for constant communication with the teacher.
All updates on activities and the calendar of synchronous meetings will be published by the beginning of the lessons.
Course syllabus
The course is entitled "Introduction to Hispanic American Literature" and is divided into the following three topics, which will be addressed in sequence:
A: Invented America: chronicles, stories, visions B: Dialogues between present and past: ancient writers and modern writers in comparison
C: Methodologies for the study of Hispanic American literature
It aims to offer a first general overview of Hispanic American literature from its origins to the threshold of the 20th century. The common thread will be the construction of the identity of the continent after its discovery and colonization, the search for an expression based on cultural resistance to imperial domination. First of all, we will tackle the problem of the Discovery and Conquest of a new world to which are attributed on the one hand the characters of myth and dream, and on the other those of the nightmare of barbarism and demoniac. At the centre is the problem of the indium, symbol and symptom of an irreducible cultural otherness, subjected to a constant process of annihilation. We will observe the processes through which European culture will build the image of the other and the different, an image that will remain a restless and disturbing foundation of modernity. Secondly, we will focus on some ancient (Garcilaso de la Vega el Inca) and modern authors (Miguel Angel Asturias, Alejo Carpentier, Pablo Montoya), in order to understand the painful intercultural processes that characterize the history of the continent.
After having acquired the necessary basic knowledge of Hispano-American literature in the first two parts of the course, in the last one we will focus on the textual analysis of some of the works considered. We will begin to use techniques useful for excavation on the site of the text, also through the drafting of written works. This in order to provide concrete tools to begin the practice of deep understanding of the texts. All students who intend to acquire 6 CFU will stick to the programme of subjects A and B; all students who intend to acquire 9 CFU will stick to the full programme (A, B and C). The course programme is valid until September 2022 inclusive.
A: Invented America: chronicles, stories, visions B: Dialogues between present and past: ancient writers and modern writers in comparison
C: Methodologies for the study of Hispanic American literature
It aims to offer a first general overview of Hispanic American literature from its origins to the threshold of the 20th century. The common thread will be the construction of the identity of the continent after its discovery and colonization, the search for an expression based on cultural resistance to imperial domination. First of all, we will tackle the problem of the Discovery and Conquest of a new world to which are attributed on the one hand the characters of myth and dream, and on the other those of the nightmare of barbarism and demoniac. At the centre is the problem of the indium, symbol and symptom of an irreducible cultural otherness, subjected to a constant process of annihilation. We will observe the processes through which European culture will build the image of the other and the different, an image that will remain a restless and disturbing foundation of modernity. Secondly, we will focus on some ancient (Garcilaso de la Vega el Inca) and modern authors (Miguel Angel Asturias, Alejo Carpentier, Pablo Montoya), in order to understand the painful intercultural processes that characterize the history of the continent.
After having acquired the necessary basic knowledge of Hispano-American literature in the first two parts of the course, in the last one we will focus on the textual analysis of some of the works considered. We will begin to use techniques useful for excavation on the site of the text, also through the drafting of written works. This in order to provide concrete tools to begin the practice of deep understanding of the texts. All students who intend to acquire 6 CFU will stick to the programme of subjects A and B; all students who intend to acquire 9 CFU will stick to the full programme (A, B and C). The course programme is valid until September 2022 inclusive.
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: frontal lectures; reading and commentary of the works in the programme; seminar lessons; discussion forums; writing of written works.
Teaching Resources
Joint programme of 6 and 9 CFU:
1. Perassi, Emilia; Scarabelli, Laura, Itinerari di cultura ispanoamericana. Ritorno alle origini e ritorno delle origini, Torino, UTET 2011 (capitoli 2, 3, 4) ( Selection of texts. The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature).
2. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Los naufragios, http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/naufragios--0/html/ (Trad. it., Naufragi, Torino, Einaudi 1989) 3. Bartolomé de Las Casas, Brevissima relazione della distruzione delle Indie, a cura di Flavio Fiorani, edizione con testo a fronte, Venezia, Marsilio, 2012
4. Alejo Carpentier, El arpa y la sombra, Madrid, Alianza editorial, 2013 (trad.it.: L'arpa e l'ombra, Palermo, Sellerio , 2020)
5. Pablo Montoya, Tríptico de la infamia, Bogotà, Literatura Random House, 2014 (trad. it.: Trittico dell'infamia, Roma, edizioni e/o, 2018
6. Miguel Angel Asturias, Leyendas de Guatemala, Madrid, Cátedra 2012 (trad.it.: Leggende del Guatemala, Roma, Semar, 1997) selection of texts
Additional part for the 9CFU programme
8. Franco Brioschi, Costanzo Di Girolamo, Massimo Fusillo, Introduzione alla letteratura, Roma, Carocci, 2020 (The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature 1 year: chapters 1, 2, 4).
9. Seminar activity with the production of written texts.
Lessons, hard-to-find materials and online resources will be provided through the Ariel website.
Not attending students
Joint programme of 6 and 9 CFU:
1. Perassi, Emilia; Scarabelli, Laura, Itinerari di cultura ispanoamericana. Ritorno alle origini e ritorno delle origini, Torino, UTET 2011 (capitoli 2, 3, 4) (il testo rimarrà in adozione per tutte e tre le annualità di Letteratura ispanoamericana. Per ogni annualità verranno dati capitoli diversi da studiare.)
2. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Los naufragios, http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/naufragios--0/html/ (Trad. it., Naufragi, Torino, Einaudi 1989) 3. Bartolomé de Las Casas, Brevissima relazione della distruzione delle Indie, a cura di Flavio Fiorani, edizione con testo a fronte, Venezia, Marsilio, 2012
4. Alejo Carpentier, El arpa y la sombra, Madrid, Alianza editorial, 2013 (trad.it.: L'arpa e l'ombra, Palermo, Sellerio , 2020)
5. Pablo Montoya, Tríptico de la infamia, Bogotà, Literatura Random House, 2014 (trad. it.: Trittico dell'infamia, Roma, edizioni e/o, 2018
6. Miguel Angel Asturias, Leyendas de Guatemala, Madrid, Cátedra 2012 (trad.it.: Leggende del Guatemala, Roma, Semar, 1997)
Additional part for the 9CFU programme
8. Franco Brioschi, Costanzo Di Girolamo, Massimo Fusillo, Introduzione alla letteratura, Roma, Carocci, 2020 (The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature; 1 year chapters 1, 2, 4).
9. Seminar activity with the production of written texts.
Lessons, hard-to-find materials and online resources will be provided through the Ariel website.
1. Perassi, Emilia; Scarabelli, Laura, Itinerari di cultura ispanoamericana. Ritorno alle origini e ritorno delle origini, Torino, UTET 2011 (capitoli 2, 3, 4) ( Selection of texts. The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature).
2. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Los naufragios, http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/naufragios--0/html/ (Trad. it., Naufragi, Torino, Einaudi 1989) 3. Bartolomé de Las Casas, Brevissima relazione della distruzione delle Indie, a cura di Flavio Fiorani, edizione con testo a fronte, Venezia, Marsilio, 2012
4. Alejo Carpentier, El arpa y la sombra, Madrid, Alianza editorial, 2013 (trad.it.: L'arpa e l'ombra, Palermo, Sellerio , 2020)
5. Pablo Montoya, Tríptico de la infamia, Bogotà, Literatura Random House, 2014 (trad. it.: Trittico dell'infamia, Roma, edizioni e/o, 2018
6. Miguel Angel Asturias, Leyendas de Guatemala, Madrid, Cátedra 2012 (trad.it.: Leggende del Guatemala, Roma, Semar, 1997) selection of texts
Additional part for the 9CFU programme
8. Franco Brioschi, Costanzo Di Girolamo, Massimo Fusillo, Introduzione alla letteratura, Roma, Carocci, 2020 (The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature 1 year: chapters 1, 2, 4).
9. Seminar activity with the production of written texts.
Lessons, hard-to-find materials and online resources will be provided through the Ariel website.
Not attending students
Joint programme of 6 and 9 CFU:
1. Perassi, Emilia; Scarabelli, Laura, Itinerari di cultura ispanoamericana. Ritorno alle origini e ritorno delle origini, Torino, UTET 2011 (capitoli 2, 3, 4) (il testo rimarrà in adozione per tutte e tre le annualità di Letteratura ispanoamericana. Per ogni annualità verranno dati capitoli diversi da studiare.)
2. Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Los naufragios, http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra-visor/naufragios--0/html/ (Trad. it., Naufragi, Torino, Einaudi 1989) 3. Bartolomé de Las Casas, Brevissima relazione della distruzione delle Indie, a cura di Flavio Fiorani, edizione con testo a fronte, Venezia, Marsilio, 2012
4. Alejo Carpentier, El arpa y la sombra, Madrid, Alianza editorial, 2013 (trad.it.: L'arpa e l'ombra, Palermo, Sellerio , 2020)
5. Pablo Montoya, Tríptico de la infamia, Bogotà, Literatura Random House, 2014 (trad. it.: Trittico dell'infamia, Roma, edizioni e/o, 2018
6. Miguel Angel Asturias, Leyendas de Guatemala, Madrid, Cátedra 2012 (trad.it.: Leggende del Guatemala, Roma, Semar, 1997)
Additional part for the 9CFU programme
8. Franco Brioschi, Costanzo Di Girolamo, Massimo Fusillo, Introduzione alla letteratura, Roma, Carocci, 2020 (The text will remain in adoption for all three years of Hispanic American Literature; 1 year chapters 1, 2, 4).
9. Seminar activity with the production of written texts.
Lessons, hard-to-find materials and online resources will be provided through the Ariel website.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists in an individual oral interview, with questions by the teacher, aimed at assessing the knowledge and skills acquired. The interview is held in Italian or Spanish, at the student's choice. The interview aims to verify
- knowledge of the texts in the programme,
- the ability to contextualize authors and works,
- precision in the use of specific terminology
- critical and personal reflection on the proposed themes.
Finally, if carried out in Spanish, it will take language skills into account.
- The in-presence, online and written activities proposed in itinere contribute to the final evaluation for a maximum of 6 out of 30 points.
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to make timely contact with the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
- knowledge of the texts in the programme,
- the ability to contextualize authors and works,
- precision in the use of specific terminology
- critical and personal reflection on the proposed themes.
Finally, if carried out in Spanish, it will take language skills into account.
- The in-presence, online and written activities proposed in itinere contribute to the final evaluation for a maximum of 6 out of 30 points.
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to make timely contact with the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in agreement with the competent Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/06 - LATIN AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/06 - LATIN AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/06 - LATIN AMERICAN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours