BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide students with an articulated knowledge of the Hispanic American fantastic fiction of the twentieth century, as well as skills related to the understanding and critical study of this literary genre practiced by numerous authors of considerable importance. Students will become competent in the analysis and critical-philological research, through the study of exemplary texts.
Course Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Hispano-American literature
Teaching Methods
The course will be in Spanish, with reading, translation and textual analysis of the works indicated in the bibliography.
Assessment Methods
Students are required to take an oral exam. The exam will test the following abilities: 1. an adequate knowledge of the literary and cultural contexts for the issues discussed in the course; 2. students are expected to read all the texts addressed in Spanish and to be able to translate them into Italian; 3. students must be able to discuss texts critically with reference to the issues addressed in the course. The first part of the exam will test students' knowledge of course contents. In the second part students will translate a text into Italian and describe the historical context of its composition, its themes and its formal features. a. Outstanding (30 e lode): excellent knowledge of all of the contents of the course. Excellent ability to analyze the texts and to contextualize them in an appropriate way. The student uses the academic register with appropriate linguistic terminologies. b. Very good (30 to 27): very good knowledge of all of the contents of the course. Very good ability to analyze the texts and to contextualize them in an appropriate way. c. Good (26-24): good knowledge of the contents of the course. Adequate ability to describe the texts. The language used is simple but correct. d. Fair/sufficient (23-18): the student demonstrates sufficient knowledge, coherence, use of appropriate resources and quality of presentation to warrant a basic pass. The ability to analyze the texts is not wholly satisfactory.
Contents
The fantastic genre develops in Spanish-America XXth century through an approach to writing that has no place in precise schemes made up of literary movements and currents, introducing a metanarrative, metaphysical, philosophical and speculative slant that each author elaborates in a markedly original way. This narrative production, dominated by the short story, is linked not so much to the cliché of the classical supernatural, as to a disturbing vision of reality, where the fantastic element is part of the common daily experience and is linked to the alienated perception of the subject, exploring in some cases the dimension of the surreal and the absurd. The course will consist of a general introduction to the fantastic genre (T. Todorov, J. Alazraki) followed by critical reading, translation and analysis of some works of the following authors: Horacio Quiroga (Cuentos de amor de locura y muerte, Cuentos de la selva), Francisco Coloane (Cabo Horn), Adolfo Bioy Casares (La invención de Morel), Jorge Luis Borges (Ficciones, El libro de arena), Julio Cortazar (Bestiario, Final del juego), Carlos Fuentes (Aura), Felisberto Hernández (Novelas y cuentos), Juan Rulfo (El llano en llamas), Juan José Arreola (Confabulario), Augusto Monterroso (La oveja negra y demas fabulas).
Online Resources
More information
THE COURSE IS VALID FOR BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND YEAR OF THE MASTER'S DEGREE. Students should refer to the web page of the course for further information; on the web page will also be uploaded some reference texts of the course. In case the course is delivered in the dual/blended or online mode, what has been stated in the syllabus is susceptible to change in order to make both the classes and the exams accessible in a non face-to-face environment. Students will be encouraged to participate actively in the lessons and can substitute part of the exam program with a brief oral presentation of some topics or with a brief paper negotiated with the teacher.