SPAN 476Masterpieces of Spanish American Literature

3 credits · Spanish · Penn State

We will devote our study in SPAN 476 to Latin American authors that have produced masterpieces in literature and other arts, by engaging with a variety of topics such as race, society, history, and politics. In our examination of these works, we will pay attention to both their contents and their forms: Why can we call these productions "masterpieces"? What does each one of them tell us about the historical and cultural contexts in which they were created? How do they engage with other variables of identity (e.g. gender, sexuality, social class, etc.)? How do they relate and intersect, in their topics and formats, throughout different periods of time and across national borders? Students will read, discuss, and analyze selected major works of Spanish American prose and poetry, and often other cultural productions (e.g. film, music, art). In doing so, students will increase their abilities to identify, interpret, and communicate information and material from historical, literary, film, and performance sources.