The French-Latin American Connection: Arts and Literature. Group Contract

Winter 1999 Syllabus

Faculty:

  • Marianne Bailey. Lab. II 2262, ext. # 6438
  • Evelia Romano. Sem. 3113, ext. #6434, e-mail:romanoe@elwha.evergreen.edu
  • Language Instructors:

  • Hugo Flores. Lib.3212, ext.# 6390
  • Judith Gabriele. Lib. 3226, ext. #6736
  • Library Faculty:

  • Ernestine Kimbro. Lib. 3308 ext # 6715 e-mail: kimbroe@elwha.evergreen.edu
  • Secretary:

  • Mary Hansen. Lab. II 2250, ext. #6102
  • Course description

    During the first half of winter quarter, we will explore the fin de siècle artistic trends in France and their influence on the emergence and development of Latin American Modernism. In the second half of the quarter, we will focus on the surrealist movement in France and the corresponding interpretations and reactions in Latin American. We will analyze artistic examples in which language becomes a tool for defining and defying reality, and recreating identity. A two and a half hour workshop each week will be devoted to the analyses of texts and images. In addition, beginning and advanced Spanish and French language modules will be taught to students interested in enhancing their Spanish and French skills; please see the corresponding syllabus and description for more information.

    Schedule: A typical week

    Monday:

    AM 9:00 -12:00 Lecture L.1316

    PM 1:00-3:00 Spanish SE 3151/ SE 3155

    PM 3:00-5:00 French L 2101

    Tuesday:

    AM 9:00-11:00 Seminar: L. 2218 (Marianne)/ L 2219 (Evelia)

    PM 12:30-3:00 Workshop Lecture Hall 4

    Wednesday

    AM 10: 00-!2:00 Spanish SE 3151/SE 3155

    PM 3:00-5:00 French L 2101

    PM 1:00-5:00 Conversation L2129/ SE3161

    Friday

    10:00-3:00 Conversation L2129 / SE3161

    NOTE: The program will include Spanish and French language work at the beginning and advanced levels. Different rooms will be assigned to different classes. Students at the intermediate level should enroll separately in our program for 12 credit and in the evening classes for four credits.

    Seminar and Workshop

    Seminars will focus on the analysis of the readings, enriched by the information provided in lectures and workshops. Students are expected to achieve a thorough understanding of the material and provide informed comments and questions for discussion during seminars. Each workshop will focus on specific texts and art examples. Students will work in groups and will be responsible for preparing readings and materials to accomplish activities during workshops. StudentÕs active participation in discussions and workshops are important requirements for receiving full credit.

    Assignments

    Two formal essays combining all the material introduced in class are the major written assignments for the quarter. The first essay is due on Friday of week 4, and the second is due on Friday of week 8. Students should turn in work on time; late essays will not be corrected or considered for credit. From week 7, students will plan presentations/performances in groups applying artistic techniques and ideas studied in class. The last week of the quarter will be devoted to the delivery of such presentations/performances.

    Credit, evaluation and conferences All the activities mentioned above are absolutely required in order to receive full credit. Credits will be awarded in Latin American Intellectual History, French Intellectual History, Art History, French and Francophone Literature, Latin American Literature, and for those students enrolled in Spanish and French modules, Spanish language and French language.

    If students have problems with any aspect of the programÕs contents or activities, it is their responsibility to contact the faculty immediately in order to face difficulties squarely instead of letting them worsen.

    Reading list

    Baudelaire, Charles. The Flowers of Evil.

    Rimbaud. Complete Works.

    Mallarmé. Collected Poems of St. Mallarmé.

    Martí, José. José Martí Reader: Writings on the America.

    Martí, José. Major Poems

    González, Anibal. "Modernist Prose". The Cambridge History of Latin American Literature. R. González Echeverría and E.Pupo-Walker, eds. 3 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Vol II: 7-68.

    Jrade, Cathy. "Modernist Poetry" The Cambridge History of Latin American Literature. R. González Echeverría and E.Pupo-Walker, eds. 3 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Vol II: 7-68.

    Darío, Rubén. Selected Poems. (photocopy)

    Craig, Dundas. The Modernist Trend in Spanish American Poetry (selection)

    Unruh, Vicky. Latin American Vanguards. The Art of Contentious Encounters. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1994. Chapter 4.

    Artaud, Antonine. Selected Writings.

    Bombal, María Luisa. House of Mistand The Shrouded Woman.

    Richardson, M. Refusal of the Shadow. Surrealism and the Caribbean.

    Cesaire, Aime. Collected Poetry.

    Carpentier, Alejo. The Kingdom of This World.

    Week 1

    Monday, January 4

    Lecture: Introductions. The French Poets of the fin de siècle.

    Tuesday, January 5

    Seminar: Selected poems by Charles Baudelaire and Leconte de Lisle.
    Workshop: On poetic analysis. (Search in the library for definitions and sources).

    Week 2

    Monday, January 11

    Lecture: Rimbaud and Mallarmé: Revolt, Illumination, Silence.
    Informal assignment: analysis of a chosen poem.

    Tuesday, January 12

    Seminar: Poems by Rimbaud and Mallarmé.
    Workshop: Group work on poetic analysis.

    Week 3

    Monday, January 18: Holiday

    Tuesday, January 19

    Lecture: Latin America's fin de siècle: Revolutionary Writing
    Seminar/Workshop: José Marti essays and poems: Search for cultural contextual clues.

    Week 4

    Monday, January 25

    Lecture: Latin American Modernism: In Search of Identity through Language.

    Tuesday, January 26

    Seminar: Selected poems by Darío.
    Workshop: Comparison between French fin de siècle (including poems by Mallarmé) and Darío.

    First formal essay due on Friday, January 29.

    Week 5

    Monday, February 1

    Lecture: Introduction to Surrealism. A Language of the Body and the Soul: A. Artaud.

    Tuesday, February 2

    Seminar: A. Artaud: theory and texts
    Workshop: Visual and surrealistic experience (may include film).

    Week 6

    Monday, February 8

    Lecture: Surrealism in Latin America and the Universalization of Language.

    Tuesday, February 9

    Seminar: María Luisa Bombal's novel and stories. Selected essays on surrealism.
    Workshop: Theory and Practice of Surrealism in Bombal's writing.

    Week 7

    Monday, February 15: HOLIDAY

    Tuesday, February 16

    A Surrealist Salon. Readings on Caribbean surrealism
    Work on creative project and second formal essay

    NO OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE SCHEDULED. STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE FACULTY IF PROBLEMS ARISE WITH THE COMPLETION OF ASSIGNMENTS.

    Week 8

    Monday, February 22

    Lecture: Caribbean Surrealism; Le merveilleux and Identity.

    Tuesday, February 23

    Seminar: Cesaire
    Workshop: Interpretation of chosen poems from Cesaire.

    Second formal essay due on Friday, February 26.

    Week 9

    Monday, March 1

    Lecture: Carpentier: From Surrealism to the "marvelous real" and Vice versa.

    Tuesday, March 2

    Seminar:The Kingdom of This World.
    Workshop: Art and revolution.

    Week 10

    Monday, March 8, and Tuesday, March 9

    Performances and presentations by students.

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