Span 491
Special Topics: Jews and Muslims in Spanish Literature.
Fall 2007
Dr. Mar Góngora
205 Lafayette Hall
Description: In this course, conducted in Spanish, students will explore the multiple representations of Jews and Muslims in the Spanish literature from the Middle Age to contemporary times. During the first part of the semester we shall analyze fragments from literary works such as El Cantar del Mio Cid, works of the “Mester de Clerecia” like Milagros de Nuestra Señora by Gonzalo de Berceo and El libro de Alexandre, that include negative stereotypes about Jews. This view contradicts the traditional perception of the Iberian Middle Age as a place of religious tolerance and peaceful understanding between the members of the three “castes”, as we attend, for example, to the anti-Semitic laws promulgated at this time in the Siete partidas, a judicial corpus produced by the king Alfonso X of Castile. The student will continue to study constructions of ethnic differences and the formation of the Muslim stereotype, and the different employments of these constructs in the specific historical context in which Early Modern texts, such as El abencerraje, Cervantes’s Don Quijote de la Mancha and El Viaje de Turquía, were produced. Finally we shall study representations of Jews and Muslims in contemporary novels, such as Carmé Riera’s El último azul Antonio Muñoz Molina’s Sefarad and Antonio Gala’s El manuscrito carmesí.
Bibliography
Course packet
El abencerraje
Gala, Antonio. El manuscrito carmesí.
Riera, Carmé. El último azul.
Evaluation: The final grade is based on the following: Participation (including quizzes): 15%; 3 tests: 60 %; 1 oral presentation 10 %; Final Proyect 15 %.
Departmental Attendance Policy: Students should be aware that any absences from class may adversely affect the class participation component of their final grade. In any case, no student may have more than four (4) absences. Students should also note that it is their responsibility to ensure that they are in compliance with this attendance requirement. Instructors are not required to remind students of their attendance status. Finally, no make-up exams will be given. The student is responsible for any material or information missed due to absences.
Class protocol: Besides completing the assigned homework, students are required to read the assigned pages and to prepare other materials for the class in advance. In class, students are required to be involved in the activities and they must show their preparation by participating in the discussions, by asking relevant questions, being critical and analytical with the contents presented in class as well as by sharing their ideas and opinions. In class the student is required to maintain a polite demeanor always and under every circumstance. Also, she or he MUST use Spanish forms of courtesy to interact with other students and with the professor.
Statement for students with special needs: Every reasonable accommodation will be made to assist any student with documented special needs to meet the academic requirements expected of all students enrolled in this course. (Evidence must be presented to the instructor the first week of classes).
Goals and objectives: At the end of the semester the student will have improved the following learning outcomes, which are based on the School of World Studies Goals, those of the College of Humanities and Sciences, and the University:
· International experience
· Interdisciplinary foci
· Advanced language skills in Spanish
· Oral communication in Spanish
· Global good citizenship and ethics
· Critical thinking
· Student engagement
The University Honor Policy will be enforced: Students are responsible for knowing the Honor Policy, and for using it on all assignments in this course.
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Phone: Office: 827 3401
E-mail:
Office Hours: Monday from 8:30 to 11:30 A.M (205 Lafayette Hall).
Final Proyect: Monday Dec 10 at 1:00 PM
Programa de clases (Tentativo)
Span 491
AGOSTO
Viernes 24. Introducción al curso.
Lunes 27. Orígenes de la presencia judía en la península ibérica. Los judíos de la España medieval.
Miércoles 29. La imagen estereotípica del judío en la cultura castellana.
Viernes 31. Las siete partidas y la idea de la tolerancia religiosa.
SEPTIEMBRE
Lunes 3. No clase
Miércoles 5. La representación del judío en El poema de Mio Cid
Viernes 7. La representación del judío en El poema de Mio Cid.
Lunes 10. Los conflictos con la comunidad judía en Milagros de Nuestra Señora de Gonzalo de Berceo.
Miércoles 12. Prueba 1
Viernes 14. La construcción de la diferencia morisca
Lunes 17. Lectura El abencerraje
Miércoles 19. Lectura El abencerraje
Viernes 21 .Lectura El abencerraje
Lunes 24. Conclusión El abencerraje
Miércoles 26. La representación del turco en El viaje de Turquía (385-418)
Viernes 28. La representación de turco en El viaje de Turquía (418-453).
OCTUBRE
Lunes 1. La representación de turco en El viaje de Turquía (453-504)
Miércoles 3. El Morisco Ricote en Don Quijote de Miguel de Cervantes.
Viernes 5. El Morisco Ricote en Don Quijote de Miguel de Cervantes (Cont.).
Lunes 8. Prueba 2
Miércoles 10. Los judíos sefardíes. Introducción. La representación del judío sefardí en Sefarad de Antonio Muñoz Molina (141-184; 575-560).
Viernes 12. La representación del judío sefardí en Sefarad de Antonio Muñoz Molina (141-184; 575-560).
Lunes 15. Los judíos chuecas en El último azul de Carmé Riera (17-63).
Miércoles 17. Lectura El último azul de Carmé Riera (64-103).
Viernes 19. No clase
Lunes 22. El último azul de Carmé Riera (104-150).
Miércoles 24. El último azul de Carmé Riera (151-183).
Viernes 26. El último azul de Carmé Riera (187-219).
Lunes 29. El último azul de Carmé Riera (220-231).
Miércoles. 31 El último azul de Carmé Riera (232-263).
NOVIEMBRE
Lunes 5. El último azul de Carmé Riera (264-295).
Miércoles 7. El último azul de Carmé Riera (299-310).
Viernes 9. El ultimo azul de Carmé Riera (311-335).
Lunes 12 El ultimo azul de Carmé Riera (336-351).
Miércoles 14 El ultimo azul de Carmé Riera (352-391).
Viernes 16 Conclusión El ultimo azul de Carmé Riera (392-458).
Lunes 19. Introducción El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala.
Miércoles 21. Lectura El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (11-49)
Viernes 23. Acción de Gracias
Lunes 26. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (49-96).
Miércoles 28. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (96-134)
Viernes 30. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (134-157)
Lunes 31. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (157-200)
DICIEMBRE
Lunes 3. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (201-239)
Miércoles 5. El manuscrito carmesí de Antonio Gala (239- 278)
Viernes 7. Prueba 3
PROYECTO FINAL: 10 de Diciembre 2007 1:00 PM