Spanish Literature: Enlightenment, Romanticism and Realism

Description
This course will deal with Spanish literature produced during the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries, in two sections focused comparatively with respect to the same tendencies in other countries. The first section will be on the characteristics which the Age of Enlightenment presented in Spain and the continuity of a type of Baroque literature coexisting with Enlightenment literature. The second block will be focused on 19th century literature in its two main lines, romanticism and realism. With this orientation the students are expected to obtain a dynamic vision of Spanish literature with which they can interconnect the knowledge they may already possess, or with the knowledge they may possess in the future.

Content
1. Introduction to the XVIIIth century. Political, social, cultural and economic aspects.
2. Enlightenment prose. Feijoo, Jovellanos.
3. Enlightenment poetry. Juan Meléndez Valdés. La Academia del Buen Gusto in Madrid.
4. Enlightenment theatre. García de la Huerta. Moratín.
5. Introduction to the XIXth century. Political, social, cultural and economic aspects. Period of great war crisis (1808-1843). The era of Spain under Isabella and the revolution (1843-1875). The Restoration period (1875-1902).
6. Introduction to Romanticism. French, German and English Romanticism.
7. Romanticism in Spain.
8. Common themes in Spanish and European Romanticism.
9. Prose in the XIXth century. Romantic prose. Literary criticism in the press (Larra). Genre of local customs and manners (Mesonero Romanos, Estébanez Calderón). Historical novel (Enrique Gil y Carrasco). Doctrinal prose.
10. Romantic theatre. Duque de Rivas, Zorrilla, Hartzenbuch.
11. Romanctic poetry. Espronceda, Bécquer and Rosalía de Castro.
12. Realism and Naturalism. Realism in poetry (Campoamor, Núñez de Arce, Gabriel y Galán). The realist novel (Juan Valera, L. Alas Clarín, B. Pérez Galdós).
13. Modernism. The term "Modernism". Ruben Darío.
14. The so-called "Generation of 98". Terminological aspects. Unamuno. Azorín. Baroja. Machado. Valle-Inclán.

Activities
Required reading of the literary works, attention and participation in class, compulsory piece of work, theoretical and practical final exam.

Assessment
Reading the works (20%), participation in class (15%), compulsory piece of work (20%), theoretical and practical final exam (45%).