SPANISH LITERATURE 1

Academic year
2026/2027 Syllabus of previous years
Official course title
LETTERATURA SPAGNOLA 1
Course code
LT0011 (AF:729868 AR:433519)
Teaching language
Italian
Modality
On campus classes
ECTS credits
6
Subdivision
Surnames M-Z
Degree level
Bachelor's Degree Programme
Academic Discipline
SPAN-01/A
Period
1st Semester
Course year
1
Where
VENEZIA
Moodle
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The course confers an specific profile for the students choosing Spanish language and literature at grade "Lingue, civil e science del linguaggio", class 11 (Lingue e culture moderne) and for all three offered directions (Letterario cultural, Lingüístico-filologico-glottodidattico, politico- international). The course can also be inserted into different study programs as "free choice credits" or as additional-supplementary matter. Its aim is proposing a panoramic approach to XX century spanish literature (from 1898 until the new millennium) organized around some historical and cultural highlights of special significance from the literary perspective. Moreover, the course will provide the students with basic critical and mythological tools for increasing comprehension skills and autonomy of judgement.
Attendance and active participation in the three educational activities proposed by the course (lectures, thematic seminars for in-depth study, multidisciplinary laboratory) and individual study will allow students to:
1. Knowledge and Understanding
● Know the basic linguistic terminology and understand texts that use it;
● Know the properties of different language modules and understand their interaction;
● Know the basics of the mental structure of language and the process of linguistic acquisition of the mother tongue and the foreign language, with particular reference to English.
2. Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding
● (Know the basic linguistic terminology and understand texts that use it.) Be able to correctly use linguistic terminology in all processes of application and communication of acquired knowledge;
● (Know the properties of different language modules and understand their interaction.) Be able to perform a simple linguistic analysis of different aspects of one's mother tongue and the English language, taking into account the universal properties of language and the parameters of interlinguistic variation with respect to some specific phenomena;
● (Know the basics of the mental structure of language and the process of linguistic acquisition of the mother tongue and the foreign language.) Be able to apply linguistic metacompetence to the acquisition of the foreign language and the use of academic Italian.
3. Judgment Skills
● Be able to formulate and argue simple hypotheses, also developing a critical approach to the evaluation of alternative hypotheses.
4. Communication Skills
● Be able to communicate the specifics of linguistic reflection, using appropriate terminology;
● Be able to interact with peers and the tutor, critically and respectfully, both in person and on the virtual classroom forum.
5. Learning Skills
● Be able to take notes and share them collaboratively on the online platform;
● Be able to critically consult reference texts and the bibliography contained therein.
No prerequisite is mandatory, but a fair knowledge of the Spanish language will facilitate the reading of texts.
The course introduces the Generation of ’27 within the context of Spanish poetry from the first half of the 20th century. Topics covered will include the historical and cultural context of the 1920s and 1930s, the 1927 tribute to Góngora, the relationship between tradition and the avant-garde, pure poetry, neo-popularism, surrealism, etc. Through guided readings of selected texts, the course will examine authors such as Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Vicente Aleixandre, Luis Cernuda, Gerardo Diego and Dámaso Alonso, whilst also paying attention to some female authors associated with the group. The course also regards the centenary in 2027 as an opportunity for a critical re-examination of the ‘Generation of ’27’ canon.
Primary texts

The reading of the poetic texts will be organised around an anthology of selected works provided by the lecturer. Students will be expected to be familiar with selected texts by the principal authors of the Generación del 27, including Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Vicente Aleixandre, Luis Cernuda, Gerardo Diego and Dámaso Alonso, among others.

Anthologies and literary histories:
- Rosso, Maria, a cura di, "I poeti del Ventisette", Venezia, Marsilio, 2008.
- Mainer, José-Carlos e Alvar, Carlos, "Storia della letteratura spagnola. L'età contemporanea (Vol. 2)", Torino, Einaudi, 2000
- Morelli, Gabriele; Manera, Danilo, "Letteratura spagnola del Novecento. Dal modernismo al postmoderno", Milano, Bruno Mondadori / Paravia, 2007.
- Morelli, Gabriele, "La cultura spagnola del Novecento. Storia, letteratura, arti, cinema", Roma, Carocci, 2021.
- Profeti, Maria Grazia, a cura di, "L'età contemporanea della letteratura spagnola. Il Novecento", Milano, La nuova Italia, 2001.

Texts for further study:
- Diego, Gerardo, ed., "Poesía española. Antología 1915-1931", Madrid, Signo, 1932; edizioni successive.
- Díez de Revenga, Francisco Javier, ed., "Antología de la poesía española del 27", Madrid, Castalia.
- Merlo, Pepa, ed., "Peces en la tierra. Antología de mujeres poetas en torno a la Generación del 27", Sevilla, Fundación José Manuel Lara.
- Mainer, José-Carlos, "La Edad de Plata, 1902-1939", Madrid, Cátedra.
- Cano Ballesta, Juan, La poesía española entre pureza y revolución, 1920-1936, Madrid, Gredos.
- Díez de Revenga, Francisco Javier, "La Generación del 27", Madrid, Síntesis.
- Debicki, Andrew P., "Historia de la poesía española del siglo XX. Desde la modernidad hasta el presente", Madrid, Gredos.
- Geist, Anthony L., "La poética de la generación del 27 y las revistas literarias: de la vanguardia al compromiso, 1918-1936", Madrid, Guadarrama.
- Ortega y Gasset, José, "La deshumanización del arte", Madrid, Revista de Occidente; edizioni successive.
- Balló, Tània, "Las Sinsombrero. Sin ellas, la historia no está completa", Barcelona, Espasa.
- Mangini, Shirley, "Las modernas de Madrid. Las grandes intelectuales españolas de la vanguardia", Barcelona, Península.

Further bibliographical references and supplementary materials will be provided during the course in relation to the individual authors and texts studied.
The teaching includes an oral exam as a method of assessment. The interview aims to verify the general knowledge and text analysis skills acquired during the course and consists of three questions (a general topic to develop, a text commentary, and a brief definition of concepts). The approximate duration of the exam will be around 20 minutes. Active participation of the student in the lessons is appreciated.
oral

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

Assessment Grid (regardless of attendance mode):
28-30L: mastery of the topics covered in lectures and manuals; ability to prioritize information; use of appropriate technical terminology;
26-27: good knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and, to a lesser extent, in manuals; fair ability to organize information and present it orally; familiarity with technical terminology;
24-25: not always in-depth knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and manuals; orderly oral presentation but not always correct use of technical terminology;
22-23: often superficial knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and manuals; unclear oral presentation and lacking in technical terminology;
18-21: occasionally incomplete knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and manuals; confused oral presentation with little use of technical terminology.
Lecture-based course that also utilizes educational modules available on the university's e-learning platform moodle.unive.it with texts and other multimedia materials.
Definitive programme.
Last update of the programme: 21/08/2026