Masterpieces of Medieval and Golden Age

Catalog description

Seeking both breadth and depth, the course will deal with some of the major literary works, or "masterpieces", of the Spanish Middle Ages and the so-called Golden Age (16th-17th centuries). Regarding the Middle Ages, we will read and discuss a few of the Hispano-Arabic muwasshahat and their kharjas, the Poema de Mio Cid, a smattering of the Libro de buen amor, and Celestina. In reference to the 16th and 17th centuries, the course will focus on poetry (Ausias March, Garcilaso de la Vega, the Argensola Bros., Fernando de Herrera, Quevedo, and Gongora), followed by prose, Lazarillo de Tormes, Cervantes (The prolog to the Novelas ejemplares, plus "La fuerza de la sangre" and "La Ilustre fregona"), and then move on to the theatre (Cervantes's Retablo de las maravillas, Lope de Vega's Fuenteovejuna, and Calderon's La vida es sueño).