This course focuses on the culture of Spain. The
methodology is interdisciplinary. The order of presentation is mostly
chronological, beginning in pre-history and ending in Fall 1999. The
purpose is to discover major trends that run throughout the target culture
in such a way that we can appreciate both the positive and negative
aspects of Spanish culture--positive and negative, of course, being
relative to what is different and distinctive about Spanish culture and
its people.
The goal, above all, is to enrich our lives here and now in
California. Therefore, the focus balances theoretical knowledge about the
culture of Spain on the one hand and fairly direct experience of the same
culture by means of art, music, literature, essay, photographic slides,
and film.
The required reading material includes Spain's national epic
poem, the Star Wars-like chivalric romance in which the idea of California
itself was created, a short masterpiece by Cervantes, a play, and a book
about contemporary politics, society, economy, morality, and education
in Spain.
TEXTBOOKS:
Poem of the Cid: (anonymous epic poem)
The Labors of the Very Brave Knight Esplandián: Garci
Rodríguez de Montalvo. Translation by William Little (chivalric
romance)
Exemplary Stories: Miguel de Cervantes (short stories)
Las Meninas: Antonio Buero Vallejo (play)
The New Spaniards: John Hooper (journalistic book)