Learning outcomes

After a brief introduction to the historical and literary background of the first half of the 19th century and to the contemporary Spanish publishing industry (books and magazines), lectures will focus on the peculiar features of the emergent Spanish journalism in the period (Romanticism). This will be done by analyzing the works of the most prominent “costumbristas” (Mariano José de Larra, Ramón de Mesonero Romanos, Serafín Estébanez Calderón). The “costumbrismo”, which positions itself between Romanticism and Realism, portrays, by means of various literary genres and visual arts, the changing and conflicting society which was emerging from the ruins of the Ancièn Régime and dominated by the middle class. By doing this, it contributed in a fundamental way to the problematic definition of the Spanish national identity, which, at the time, was fluctuating between conservative “casticismo” and the imitation of European manners and policies.

Program

The course program consists of three parts: 1) History of literature; 2) Texts; 3) Critical bibliography, however the exam can’t be split in parts. The program applies to all students, both attending and not attending lectures. All the suggested references are available at the Romanistica library or Frinzi library at the University of Verona.

1) History of Literature
Students are expected to develop a good knowledge of the Spanish historical and literary background of the first half of the 19th century (Spanish Romanticism) and to pay special attention to the emergent publishing industry of the period as well as to the “costumbrismo” and to the authors listed below (Part 2 “Texts”).

Handbooks (one of the followings by student’s choice):
1) L’età moderna delle letteratura spagnola: l’Ottocento, a cura di M.G. Profeti, Firenze, La Nuova Italia, 2000 (pp. 3-57 e pp. 175-201); students have also to read the essay by G. Cazottes-E. Rubio Cremades, El auge de la prensa periódica (http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/obra/el-auge-de-la-prensa-periodica/);
2) Historia de la literatura española, (dir.) V. García de la Concha, Siglo XIX (vol. 8, coord. G. Carnero), Madrid, Espasa Calpe, 1996 (pp. 28-59 e pp. 153-224).

2) Texts
Students are expected to read a selection of 15 “articulos de costumbres”, which must be representative of the literary trajectory of the three authors above mentioned; the compulsory “artículos” for each author will be suggested by the teacher during the lectures. Students can find a brief introduction to the authors and their works in the web site “Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes” (http://www.cervantesvirtual.com), but the following critical editions are strongly recommended for a full comprehension of the texts suggested:

M. J. De Larra, Artículos, ed. de Enrique Rubio, Madrid, Cátedra, 1993.
M. J. De Larra, Artículos varios, ed. de E. Correa Calderón, Madrid, Castalia, 1989.
R. de Mesonero Romanos, Escenas y tipos matritenses, ed. de E. Rubio Cremades, Madrid, Cátedra, 1993.
S. Estébanez Calderón, Escenas andaluzas, ed. de A. González Troyano, Madrid, Cátedra, 1985.

3) Critical bibliography:
Students have to choose and study five critical essays taken from this miscellaneous book:
Romanticismo 6. El costumbrismo romántico, Actas del VI Congreso del “Centro internacional de Estudios sobre el Romanticismo hispánico” (Napoli, 27-30 marzo de 1990), Roma, Bulzoni, 1996 (also available at this link: http://www.cervantesvirtual.com/bib/portal/romanticismo/menu/roman_seis.html).

Further (not compulsory) readings:
Historia y crítica de la literatura española, (dir.) F. Rico. Romanticismo y realismo (vol 5 e 5/1, coord. I.M. Zavala), Barcelona, Crítica, 1982 e 1994.
L. Romero Tobar, Panorama crítico del romanticismo español, Madrid, Castalia, 1994 (pp. 397-460).
R. Navas Ruiz, El romanticismo español, 4ª ed. renovada, Madrid, Cátedra, 1990.
M.H.Abrams, Lo specchio e la lampada: la teoria romantica e la tradizione critica, Bologna, Il Mulino, 1976.
J. F. Montesinos, Costumbrismo y novela. Ensayo sobre el redescubrimiento de la realidad española, Madrid, Castalia, 1960.
S. Kirkpatrick, Larra: el laberinto inextricable de un romántico liberal, versión española de M. Eguía, Madrid, Gredos, 1977.
G. Bellini, L’opera di Larra e la Spagna del primo Ottocento, Milano, Goliardica, 1962.
M. J. De Larra, Il poveraccio parlatore e altri scritti, introduzione di D. Puccini, scelta e traduzione di M. Puccini, Torino, Utet, 1981.
Vida y obra de D. Serafín Estébanez Calderón “El Solitario”, edición, prólogo y notas de D. Jorge Campos, Madrid, Atlas, 1955, 2 voll.

Other readings will also be suggested during the lectures.

Examination Methods

Oral examination in Italian. Students will be requested to contextualize the selected texts historically and literally and to comment them in the light of the “costumbrismo” aesthetics and of the poetics and ideology of each author, also by referring to the critical bibliography suggested. Pre-requirements: linguistic competence in Spanish (level B1).
N.B. Only for students attending lectures a written examination on the first part of the program (Part 1 “History of Literature”). will take place at the end of the course. For those who have passed this written examination, the oral exam will focus on Part 2 and Part 3 (“Texts” and “Critical bibliography”).

Teaching materials e documents

•   Lista articoli costumbristi obbligatori   (octet-stream, it, 13 KB, 14/05/15)