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2020/2021

From Bernat Metge to Curial e Güelfa

Code: 105839 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503998 Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OB 2 2
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

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

Teachers

Alejandro Coroleu Lletget

Prerequisites

None.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This course is (the second part of) an introduction to the history of medieval Catalan literature within its European backdrop. Students will also be introduced into the practice of reading and interpreting medieval Catalan texts, including works by authors who had a Latin background.

At the end of the course, students are expected (a) to have a general knowledge of all the relevant authors and genres, (b) to be able to comment (viva voce) on any of the works included in the syllabus, (c) to write short essays on any of them, and (d) to be able to analyze in detail an aspect of one of the major works.

This course leads to special subjects (medieval poetry and prose) that are offered in years 3 and 4 of the degree.

 

 

 

Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights, diversity and democratic values.
  • Apply concepts, resources and methods of literary analysis to Catalan literature taking into account the sources, periods of Western literary history and social context.
  • Assess gender inequalities when acting in this field of knowledge.
  • Carry out historical studies on the trends, genres and authors of the Catalan literary tradition.
  • Critically read and interpret texts.
  • Demonstrate a mastery of the rules of the Catalan language, its linguistic bases and all its application in the academic and professional fields.
  • Identify the main tendencies, most significant authors and most representative work in Catalan literature.
  • Innovate in the methods and processes of this area of knowledge in response to the needs and wishes of society.
  • Interpret literary texts from a philological and comparative viewpoint.
  • Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  • 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.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • 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.
  • Use information in accordance with academic ethics.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Comment on literary texts, using the instruments acquired, with regard to the historical, social and cultural context.
  2. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas within literature and their relationship to humanistic, artistic and social areas.
  3. Describe and interpret the Western cultural tradition, from the classical period to the late Middle Ages, and recognise features of the Western tradition in a medieval text.
  4. Discern the sex/gender factor in the configuration of the literary canon.
  5. Display basic knowledge of medieval Catalan and write versions of medieval texts in modern Catalan.
  6. Explain the context of medieval Catalan literature and relate works to their historical and cultural context.
  7. Gain a greater capacity for reading, interpreting and critically analysing literary and linguistic texts.
  8. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  9. Identify the relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  10. Identify themes and motifs of the classical and medieval European tradition in any of its literary and artistic manifestations.
  11. Make appropriate use of the knowledge acquired in order to collect data and handle documentary sources in the study of Catalan language and literature.
  12. Master oral and written expression in Catalan.
  13. Produce critical texts on the main trends and the most significant authors and works of poetry and prose in Catalan literature.
  14. Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
  15. Produce work in accordance with academic ethics.
  16. Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  17. Respect the opinions, values, behaviour and customs of others.
  18. Use IT tools and be able to consult specific documentary sources.
  19. Use technological resources (digital and audiovisual) to acquire knowledge and apply it in language and literature.
  20. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

1. Literary culture in the reigns of Peter III and his sons John I and Martin I (1337-1410). Friars and scholars in the Crown of Aragon. Royal patronage and translations. Historiography at the court of Peter III. Antoni Canals and other university-trained friars (Francesc Eiximenis, Vicent Ferrer)

2. Bernat Metge (1350-1413). Education and Latin background. The Llibre de Fortuna i Prudència (1381). Close reading of Metge's Lo somni(1399): date and political context; literary sources; structure and themes; meaning and intention.

3. The age of the Trastamara dinasty (1412-79). Overview of 15th-century poetry: Jordi de Sant Jordi and Ausiàs March. Overview of chivalric and sentimental prose: Joanot Martorell's Tirant lo Blanc, Joan Roís de Corella's mythological works, Jaume Roig's Espill.

4. Close reading of Curial e Güelfa (1440s): date and cultural context; the author's culture; literary sources: troubadour tradition and chronicles, 15th-century chivalry, classical and Italian culture; interpretation.

Methodology

Lectures will provide students with the historical context of some of the major works of medieval Catalan literature (1399-1490). Classroom seminars are aimed at improving reading skills through the analysis of both the language and the literary contents of medium-sized texts. The students' oral presentations of one of such texts are meant to promote debate in the classroom. Essays will be guided and chosen to foster in-depth comprehension of a major Catalan work and its relationship with the classical tradition.

The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies.

 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 25 1 11, 1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 2, 17, 7
Seminars (reading and debating) 20 0.8 11, 1, 3, 4, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10, 2, 17, 7
Type: Supervised      
Oral presentation of a textual commentary 10 0.4 11, 18, 1, 5, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10, 2, 17, 7, 14, 20, 19
Type: Autonomous      
Research (bibliography), study and use of the Campus Virtual 20 0.8 11, 18, 1, 5, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 2, 7, 19
Students' own reading of selected texts 50 2 1, 5, 3, 6, 10, 2, 7

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) 50%, (b) 40%, (c) 10%. 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.

In the event that exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Essay writing 40% 20 0.8 11, 18, 1, 5, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15, 6, 16, 8, 9, 10, 2, 17, 7, 14, 20, 19
Oral presentation of a textual commentary 10% 2 0.08 11, 18, 1, 5, 3, 12, 15, 6, 16, 8, 9, 10, 2, 17, 7, 14, 20, 19
Written exam 50% 3 0.12 11, 1, 5, 3, 12, 15, 6, 8, 9, 10, 2, 7, 14, 20

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).

Badia, Lola, De Bernat Metge a Joan Roís de Corella (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1988).

Metge, Bernat, Lo somni, ed. Lola Badia (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1999).

Curial e Güelfa, ed. Lola Badia and Jaume Torró (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 2011).

 

Links:

Narpan. Cultura i literatura de la baixa edat mitjana: www.narpan.net

Repertorio Informatizzato dell'Antica LetteraturaCatalana (RIALC): www.rialc.unina.it