Fate, Love and Death in Federico Garcia Lorca: From Tragedy to Poetry

Federico García Lorca is one of Spain's greatest literary figures, and after Cervantes, perhaps the most widely recognized Spanish writer in the English-speaking world. The aim of this course is to study Lorca’s rural dramatic trilogy (Blood Wedding, Yerma, The House of Bernarda Alba), alongside selections of his poetry: Gypsy Ballads, Poema del canto jondo, and A Poet in New York). Social and anthropological issues such as honor, social class and desire, religion and taboo, homoerotism, the role of women in society, will be topics for discussion. Articles, documentaries, and class discussions will situate the varied works within the historical, socio-political, and cultural contexts that shaped Spain prior to the Civil War. Critical works will provide the necessary framework for the analysis of primary sources. Two short papers, in-class oral presentations, and active participation are required. (1 unit).

Required texts: Federico García Lorca, Amor de don Perlimplín con Belisa en su jardín (Madrid, Cátedra) (ISBN: 978-84-376-0899-0); Bodas de sangre (Madrid, Cátedra) (ISBN 978-84-376-0569-9); Yerma (Madrid, Cátedra, any edition); La casa de Bernarda Alba (Madrid, Cátedra) (ISBN: 978-84-376-2245-3); Selected Poems to be provided at Middlebury.