15th Century Catalan Novel and Prose
Code: 100674 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500247 Catalan Language and Literature | OB | 3 | 1 |
| 2501801 Catalan and Spanish | OB | 3 | 1 |
| 2501902 English and Catalan | OB | 3 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Josep Pujol Gómez
- Email:
- Josep.Pujol@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
None.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This subject offers an overview of medieval narrative (chivalric romance and sentimental prose) against the backdrop of European developments in the late middle ages. Focus will be on a minutious reading of Tirant lo Blanc(1464) and one of its main sources (Joan Roís de Corella’s mythological writings). Both language analysis and critical interpretation are of paramount importance. The relationship between these texts and the classical tradition (either in the original or in translation) is also examined.
At the end of the course, students are expected (a) to have a general knowledge of all relevant authors and genres, (b) to have a good grasp of how a literary tradition is built up, and (c) to be able to produce accurate commentaries on any of the works included in the syllabus after having consulted the relevant bibliography.
Competences
- Catalan Language and Literature
- Apply concepts, resources and methods to Catalan literature literary analysis taking into account the framework of periodization of Western literary history.
- Assess how rigorously argued and major trends, authors and most representative works of Catalan literature.
- Critically analyze Catalan literature in relation to the historical circumstances in which you enroll.
- Develop historical studies on the Catalan literary tradition and interpretive analysis of trends, genres and authors of Catalan literature.
- Developing critical thinking and reasoning and communicating them effectively both in your own and other languages.
- Interpret literary texts in depth from philological bases (stylistic, linguistic, etc.) and comparative.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Catalan and Spanish
- Apply concepts, resources and methods of analysis literary Catalan literature considering the context of periodization of Western literary history.
- Assess so rigorously argued and the main trends and authors and most representative works of Catalan literature.
- Critically analyze Catalan literature regarding the historical circumstances in which it falls.
- Develop critical thinking and reasoning and knowing how to communicate effectively both in your mother tongue and in other languages.
- Develop historical studies on Catalan literary tradition and interpretive analysis on trends, genres and authors of Catalan literature.
- Interpret literary texts from cross philological bases (stylistic, linguistic, etc.) and comparisons.
- Respect the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their study area) to issue judgments that include reflection on important issues of social, scientific or ethical.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- English and Catalan
- Apply concepts, resources and methods of analysis literary Catalan literature considering the context of periodization of Western literary history.
- Assess so rigorously argued and the main trends and authors and most representative works of Catalan literature.
- Critically analyze Catalan literature regarding the historical circumstances in which it falls.
- Develop critical thinking and reasoning and knowing how to communicate effectively both in your mother tongue and in other languages.
- Develop historical studies on Catalan literary tradition and interpretive analysis on trends, genres and authors of Catalan literature.
- Interpret literary texts from cross philological bases (stylistic, linguistic, etc.) and comparisons.
- Respect the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (normally within their study area) to issue judgments that include reflection on important issues of social, scientific or ethical.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply the tools and know consult the specific documentary sources.
- Comment on literary texts, apply the acquired tools and take into account the historical and sociocultural context.
- Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
- Critically interpret literary works considering the relationships between different fields of literature and its relation to human, artistic and social areas.
- Critically interpret literary works take into account the relationships between different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
- Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
- Demonstrate a basic level, knowledge of medieval Catalan language, and draft versions of modern medieval Catalan texts.
- Demonstrate basic level, knowledge of Catalan medieval, and modern Catalan to write versions of medieval texts.
- Describe and interpret the Western cultural tradition of the classical era to the end of the Middle Ages, and recognize text in a medieval traits Western tradition.
- Describe and interpret the Western cultural tradition, from the classical period to the end of the Middle Ages, and recognize text in a medieval traits of the Western tradition.
- Develop critical texts about the trends, authors and works of poetry and prose of the most significant medieval Catalan literature, and write original essays, fluent in the relevant literature on authors and works of medieval period.
- Develop critical texts on the trends, authors and works of poetry and prose most significant medieval Catalan literature, write essays and original domain of the relevant literature, authors and works on the medieval period.
- Develop effective written work and oral presentations and adapted to the appropriate register.
- Empower reading, interpretation and critical analysis of literary texts and language
- Explain the context of medieval Catalan literature and literary works related to its historical and cultural context.
- Explain the context of medieval Catalan literature and literary works related with its historical and cultural context.
- Expose knowledge about the history, art and other cultural movements.
- Identify main ideas and express them with secondary and linguistic correctness
- Identify the main and secondary ideas and express them with linguistic correctness.
- Identify themes and motifs from classical and medieval European tradition in any of their literary and artistic works, and recognize text in Catalan medieval themes and motifs of European tradition.
- Identify themes and motifs of European classical and medieval tradition in all its literary and artistic events, and recognize text in Catalan medieval themes and motifs of the European tradition.
- Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
- Interpret texts in depth and provide arguments for critical analysis
- Interpret texts in depth and provide arguments for critical analysis.
- Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
- Present knowledge about the history, art or other cultural movements.
- Strengthen the capacity of reading, interpretation and critical analysis of literary texts and language.
- Use information in accordance with scientific ethics.
- Written assignments and make effective oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register.
Content
1. An overview of medieval narrative (12th-14th c.). The chivalric romance: from its birth to the Arthurian Vulgate. Translations, literacy and cultural changes in the late Middle Ages. Italian prose writing: Boccaccio.
2. Sentimental romance: genre and sources. The Història de Frondino i Brisona and Mossèn Gras’s Tragèdia de Lançalot. Joan Roís de Corella’s prose: myth and the rewriting of Ovid; autobiographical fiction in his Tragèdia de Caldesa.
3. The 15th-century novel and Tirant lo Blanc. Chivalry in the late Middle Ages. Jacob Xalabín. París e Viana. Curial e Güelfa: sources and genre. Tirant lo Blanc: date, printings and translations. Joanot Martorell’s life: chivalry, court, and literary culture. A close reading of Tirant lo Blanc: Tirant in England; Tirant in Sicily and Rhodes; Tirant at Constantinople: historical and true-to-life episodes; love cunning and military strategy; prose-writing models. Tirant as a crusader. The hero’s death.
4. Jaume Roig’s Espill. Urban society at Valencia in the mid-15th century. Close Reading of Roig’s Espill. Consulta and preface: style, structure and meaning. Satyrical episodes (Bk I and II); the vision of Solomon (Bk III); conclusion (Bk IV). Towards a general nterpretation of Roig’s work.
Methodology
Lectures will provide the historical context of the developments of medieval Catalan narrative as well as the necessary background for the study of its three major novels, Tirant lo Blancin particular. Classroom seminars will endow him with the ability to analyse a specific aspect of any of these works and to comment on previous critical studies.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 30 | 1.2 | 10, 26, 4 |
| Seminars (reading and debating) | 17.5 | 0.7 | 3, 4, 23 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Essay writing and oral delivery | 9 | 0.36 | 29, 18 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| In-depth bibliographical research | 10 | 0.4 | 1 |
| Students' own reading of selected texts | 30 | 1.2 | 14 |
Assessment
Students will be assessed by means of (a) written exams, (b) individual essays, and (c) oral presentations (in the classroom). The final qualification will result from the following proportion: (a) max. 50%, (b) 40%, (c) 10% or plus. All course assignments must be submitted in due time.
Students will receive (via Moddle) prior notice of the date and all relevant information concerning their right to review any assessment item with their teacher.
A final mark between 3.5 and 4.9 is required to opt for reassessment. Reassessment may include a written exam and/or submitting again an essay which had not reached the pass mark (5). Students who pass the reassessment will obtain a 5.0 mark.
Any impropriety (such as plagiarism) that may be conducive to substantially alter the assessment of any item will result in a 0 mark for any such item, irrespectively of other disciplinary measures. Were such improper practices to take place repeatedly, the final mark for the subject concerned will be 0.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay writing | 40% | 24 | 0.96 | 1, 3, 2, 7, 8, 10, 9, 29, 11, 12, 15, 16, 26, 17, 18, 22, 19, 21, 20, 6, 4, 5, 23, 24, 25, 14, 27, 13, 28 |
| Exams (preparation and actual writing) | 50% | 28.5 | 1.14 | 1, 3, 2, 7, 8, 10, 9, 29, 11, 12, 15, 16, 26, 17, 18, 22, 19, 21, 20, 6, 4, 5, 23, 24, 25, 14, 27, 13, 28 |
| Oral presentation of a textual commentary | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 3, 2, 7, 8, 10, 9, 29, 11, 12, 15, 16, 26, 17, 18, 22, 19, 21, 20, 6, 4, 5, 23, 24, 25, 14, 27, 13, 28 |
Bibliography
Badia, Lola (dir.), Literatura medieval, 3 vols. in A. Broch (dir.), Història de la literatura catalana, I-III (Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2013-15).
Riquer, Martí de, Història de la literatura catalana: part antiga, 3 vols. (Barcelona: Ariel, 1964); also in 4 vols. (Barcelona: Planeta, 1984).
Riquer, Martí de, Aproximació al Tirant lo Blanc(Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1990).
Riquer, Martí de, Tirant lo Blanc, novela de historia y de ficción(Barcelona: Sirmio, 1992).
Pujol, Josep, La memòria literària de Joanot Martorell: Models i escriptura en el Tirant lo Blanc(Barcelona: Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, 2002).
Beltran, Rafael, Tirant lo Blanc(Madrid: Síntesis, 2006).
Badia, Lola, "En les baixes antenes de vulgar poesia: Corella, els mites i l'amor", in her De Bernat Metge a Joan Roís de Corella(Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1988).
Editions of Joan Roís de Corella’s works:
Joan Roís de Corella, Obra profana, ed. J. Carbonell (València: Tres i Quatre, 1983); Tragèdia de Caldesa i altres proses, ed. M. Gustà, prol. F. Rico (Barcelona: Eds. 62 / La Caixa, 1980); Proses mitològiques, ed. J. L. Martos (València-Barcelona: PAM, 2001) [www.narpan.net/ben/indexcorella.htm]
Editions of Tirant lo Blanc:
Joanot Martorell, Tirant lo Blanc i altres escrits de J.M., ed. M. de Riquer (Barcelona: Ariel, 1990; also Barcelona: Eds. 62 / La Caixa (MOLC), 2 vols., and Barcelona: Eds. 62, 2016
Tirant lo Blanch, ed. Albert Hauf (València: Tirant lo Blanch, 2004).
Tirant lo Blanc, ed. Víctor Labrado (Barcelona: La Magrana, 2010).
Links
Portal Tirant lo Blanc: www.lluisvives.com/portal/tirant/
Narpan. Cultura i literatura de la baixa edat mitjana: www.narpan.net.