Spanish Literature 2
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
The course is reserved for second year students of the Spanish Literature course and it is dedicated to the study of the Golden Ages. It proposes an introduction to the historical and literary context of the Baroque culture, with anthological readings of the most significant texts and a critical focus on XVIIth century poetry, the Quijote and the genre of the short story.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: historical and literary context of the Golden Ages; main authors and literary movements in the XVII century; notions of literary theory. Applying knowledge and understanding: reading and critical commentary of poems of the Baroque age, a selection of Quijote and six short stories; understanding of historic, cultural, and social implications of literary texts; ability to place authors, movements and works in their context; ability to recognise and explain affinities and differences among literary texts; ability to recognise and explain differences among literary genres; ability to recognise discursive strategies and explaining the effects on the meaning of a text.
Lesson period: First 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
First semester
Teaching methods
The lessons will be online on the Microsoft Teams platform and can be followed synchronously according to the official timetable. They will be registered and left available to students on the same platform. Furthermore, in ARIEL the students will find complementary study materials: anthologies, critical articles, notes and the diary of the lessons.
Students must register for the course through the EasyLesson app.
The program and the reference material will not change.
Learning verification procedures and assessment criteria
The exam will take place in oral form using the Microsoft Teams platform or, when possible, in the presence, always in oral form.
The exam, in particular, will be aimed at:
- ensure the achievement of objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding;
- ascertain the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the critical commentary of literary texts;
- verify the student's autonomy of judgment also through the thematic analysis of texts by various authors;
- ascertain the mastery of the language and the ability to present the topics in a clear and orderly way.
During the course, some formative assessment activities will be held, with the simulation of an exam test and its correction. Participation in these activities will be voluntary and will have no consequence on the final vote.
The lessons will be online on the Microsoft Teams platform and can be followed synchronously according to the official timetable. They will be registered and left available to students on the same platform. Furthermore, in ARIEL the students will find complementary study materials: anthologies, critical articles, notes and the diary of the lessons.
Students must register for the course through the EasyLesson app.
The program and the reference material will not change.
Learning verification procedures and assessment criteria
The exam will take place in oral form using the Microsoft Teams platform or, when possible, in the presence, always in oral form.
The exam, in particular, will be aimed at:
- ensure the achievement of objectives in terms of knowledge and understanding;
- ascertain the ability to apply knowledge and understanding through the critical commentary of literary texts;
- verify the student's autonomy of judgment also through the thematic analysis of texts by various authors;
- ascertain the mastery of the language and the ability to present the topics in a clear and orderly way.
During the course, some formative assessment activities will be held, with the simulation of an exam test and its correction. Participation in these activities will be voluntary and will have no consequence on the final vote.
Course syllabus
The course, entitled «El imaginario del Siglo de Oro: géneros y temas literarios» [«The imaginary of the Golden Age: literary genres and themes»], is divided into three thematic focuses which will be carried out in sequence:
A) «La retórica de la mirada: motivos poéticos del imaginario barroco» [«The rhetoric of the gaze: poetic motifs of the baroque imaginary»]: introduction to the themes of the 17th century through the analysis of texts by Lope de Vega, Góngora, Quevedo and other authors of the time. In particular, we will focus on the function of the gaze in the elaboration of motifs in which the 'topoi' and obsessions of Baroque man are reflected.
B) «Cervantes y los mundos imaginarios del "Quijote"» [«Cervantes and the imaginary worlds of "Don Quixote"»]: a critical reading of some chapters of Cervantes' masterpiece, with analysis of themes, characters and narrative techniques.
C) «La mujer en la novela corta del Siglo XVII» [«Women in the Short Stories of the 17th Century: the role of female characters in some in the collections of "Novelas" by Cervantes and María de Zayas.
The course program is valid until February 2023. From the summer session 2023 only the program 2022-22 will be valid.
A) «La retórica de la mirada: motivos poéticos del imaginario barroco» [«The rhetoric of the gaze: poetic motifs of the baroque imaginary»]: introduction to the themes of the 17th century through the analysis of texts by Lope de Vega, Góngora, Quevedo and other authors of the time. In particular, we will focus on the function of the gaze in the elaboration of motifs in which the 'topoi' and obsessions of Baroque man are reflected.
B) «Cervantes y los mundos imaginarios del "Quijote"» [«Cervantes and the imaginary worlds of "Don Quixote"»]: a critical reading of some chapters of Cervantes' masterpiece, with analysis of themes, characters and narrative techniques.
C) «La mujer en la novela corta del Siglo XVII» [«Women in the Short Stories of the 17th Century: the role of female characters in some in the collections of "Novelas" by Cervantes and María de Zayas.
The course program is valid until February 2023. From the summer session 2023 only the program 2022-22 will be valid.
Prerequisites for admission
The course, held entirely in Spanish, the materials and the examination bibliography require basic linguistic skills as well as knowledge of literary history, use of terminology and critical analysis acquired in previous courses.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: lectures; reading and commenting of excerpts from the works in the program; collaboration with students: analysis, reflection, discussion and research; student reports.
Teaching Resources
The course site is on the platform Ariel (https://mrossols2.ariel.ctu.unimi.it), where you will find texts, anthologies and critical materials provided by the teacher. For each part of the course, specific critical essays on individual works or authors or on general questions will be made available. This is the list of compulsory readings for the various didactic units and the reference editions:
Lina Rodríguez Cacho, Manual de Historia de la Literatura española, 1. Siglos XIII al XVII, Castalia, Madrid, 2016 (only the chapters about the topics discussed during the course).
A) Anthological selections and critical materials collected in ARIEL. For further information: Antología de la poesía española del Siglo de Oro. Siglos XVI-XVII, ed. Pablo Jauralde Pou, guía de lectura de Mercedes Sánchez Sánchez, Madrid, Espasa Calpe (Austral), 20065.
B) Critical materials collected in ARIEL. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote de la Mancha, ed. Florencio Sevilla y Elena Varela, Castalia (Castalia Didáctica), Madrid, 2017 (2 vols.). Alternatively, ed. Cátedra, o Castalia, o Crítica; ed. dirigida por F.Rico, Barcelona: Crítica, 1998, http://cvc.cervantes.es/literatura/clasicos/quijote/ [the selection of chapters will be indicated in ARIEL]. For further information: Márquez Villanueva, Francisco, Personajes y temas del Quijote, Madrid, Taurus, 1975 (o Bellaterra, Barcelona, 2011).
C) Anthological selections and critical materials collected in ARIEL. Miguel de Cervantes, Novelas ejemplares, Cátedra (2 vol.); Castalia (3 vol.); Espasa (2 vol.); ed. Jorge García López, Real Academia Española (also in ebook) [selection of mandatory readings in ARIEL]. María de Zayas y Sotomayor, Novelas amorosas y ejemplares, ed. Julián Olivares, Cátedra (Letras Hispánicas), Madrid, 20042; ed. Enrique Suárez Figaredo, parnaseo.uv.es/lemir/revista/revista16/textos/04_zayas.pdf; Desengaños amorosos, ed. de Alicia Yllera, Madrid, Cátedra (Letras Hispánicas), 1983; ed. Enrique Suárez Figaredo, parnaseo.uv.es/Lemir/Revista/Revista18/Textos/02_Zayas_Desenganos.pdf.
Lina Rodríguez Cacho, Manual de Historia de la Literatura española, 1. Siglos XIII al XVII, Castalia, Madrid, 2016 (only the chapters about the topics discussed during the course).
A) Anthological selections and critical materials collected in ARIEL. For further information: Antología de la poesía española del Siglo de Oro. Siglos XVI-XVII, ed. Pablo Jauralde Pou, guía de lectura de Mercedes Sánchez Sánchez, Madrid, Espasa Calpe (Austral), 20065.
B) Critical materials collected in ARIEL. Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote de la Mancha, ed. Florencio Sevilla y Elena Varela, Castalia (Castalia Didáctica), Madrid, 2017 (2 vols.). Alternatively, ed. Cátedra, o Castalia, o Crítica; ed. dirigida por F.Rico, Barcelona: Crítica, 1998, http://cvc.cervantes.es/literatura/clasicos/quijote/ [the selection of chapters will be indicated in ARIEL]. For further information: Márquez Villanueva, Francisco, Personajes y temas del Quijote, Madrid, Taurus, 1975 (o Bellaterra, Barcelona, 2011).
C) Anthological selections and critical materials collected in ARIEL. Miguel de Cervantes, Novelas ejemplares, Cátedra (2 vol.); Castalia (3 vol.); Espasa (2 vol.); ed. Jorge García López, Real Academia Española (also in ebook) [selection of mandatory readings in ARIEL]. María de Zayas y Sotomayor, Novelas amorosas y ejemplares, ed. Julián Olivares, Cátedra (Letras Hispánicas), Madrid, 20042; ed. Enrique Suárez Figaredo, parnaseo.uv.es/lemir/revista/revista16/textos/04_zayas.pdf; Desengaños amorosos, ed. de Alicia Yllera, Madrid, Cátedra (Letras Hispánicas), 1983; ed. Enrique Suárez Figaredo, parnaseo.uv.es/Lemir/Revista/Revista18/Textos/02_Zayas_Desenganos.pdf.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral interview, at least partially in Spanish, in which the teacher will ask questions aimed at ascertaining both general theoretical knowledge (relating to the cultural age, literary genres and methodological tools, according to the topics presented in class ), both the ability to analyze and frame the texts (the works and the anthological selections included in the course). In the evaluation, the ability to highlight the relationships between works, thematic analogies and ideological differences will be appreciated. The diligence in speaking Spanish will be taken into account.
The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in this case it will be verbalized as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in connection with the competent Office.
The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and the student has the right to refuse it (in this case it will be verbalized as "withdrawn").
International or Erasmus incoming students are invited to contact the teacher promptly. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and / or with DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in connection with the competent Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/05 - SPANISH LITERATURE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours