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2020/2021

Tirant lo Blanc and Medieval Narrative

Code: 105843 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2503998 Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OB 3 1
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 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

  • 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.
  • 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. Display basic knowledge of medieval Catalan and write versions of medieval texts in modern Catalan.
  5. Explain the context of medieval Catalan literature and relate works to their historical and cultural context.
  6. Gain a greater capacity for reading, interpreting and critically analysing literary and linguistic texts.
  7. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  8. Identify the relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  9. Identify themes and motifs of the classical and medieval European tradition in any of its literary and artistic manifestations.
  10. Make appropriate use of the knowledge acquired in order to collect data and handle documentary sources in the study of Catalan language and literature.
  11. Master oral and written expression in Catalan.
  12. Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
  13. Produce work in accordance with academic ethics.
  14. Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  15. Recognise themes and motifs of the European tradition in a medieval Catalan text.
  16. Respect the opinions, values, behaviour and customs of others.
  17. Use IT tools and be able to consult specific documentary sources.
  18. Use technological resources (digital and audiovisual) to acquire knowledge and apply it in language and literature.
  19. Write original essays, showing mastery of the relevant literature, on medieval authors and works.
  20. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. An overview of medieval narrative (12th-14th c.). The chivalric romance: from its birth to the Arthurian Vulgate. 

 

2. Sentimental romance: genre and sources. Translations, literacy and cultural changes in the late Middle Ages. Italian prose writing: Boccaccio. 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. Chivalry in the late Middle Ages. Medieval chronicles and classical historiography. Jacob XalabínParís e VianaCurial e Güelfa: sources and genre.

4. Joanot Martorell and 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.

5. Jaume Roig's Espill: overview and interpretation. Religious and sentimental prose before the printing press. 

 

 

 

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 major novels, Tirant lo Blanc in 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.

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 10, 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 2, 6, 15, 19
Seminars (reading and debating) 20 0.8 10, 1, 3, 11, 5, 7, 8, 9, 2, 16, 6, 15, 20
Type: Supervised      
Essay writing and oral delivery 10 0.4 10, 17, 1, 4, 3, 11, 13, 5, 14, 7, 8, 9, 2, 16, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20, 18
Type: Autonomous      
Research (bibliography), study and use of the Campus Virtual 20 0.8 10, 17, 1, 4, 3, 11, 13, 5, 14, 7, 8, 9, 2, 16, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20, 18
Students' own reading of selected texts 50 2 1, 4, 9, 2, 6, 15, 19

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 10, 17, 1, 4, 3, 11, 13, 5, 14, 7, 8, 9, 2, 16, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20, 18
Oral presentation of a textual commentary 10% 2 0.08 10, 17, 1, 4, 3, 11, 13, 5, 14, 7, 8, 9, 2, 16, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20, 18
Written exam 50% 3 0.12 10, 1, 4, 3, 11, 13, 5, 7, 8, 9, 2, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20

Bibliography

-Badia, Lola (dir.), Literatura medieval, 3 vols, dins Àlex Broch (dir.), Història de la literatura catalana, I-III (Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2013-2015).

-Riquer, Martí de, Història de la literatura catalana: part antiga, 3 vols. (Barcelona: Ariel, 1964); també en 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", dins el seu De Bernat Metge a Joan Roís de Corella (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 1988).

Editions Joan Roís de Corella's works:

-Joan Roís de Corella, Obra profana, ed. Jordi Carbonell (València: Tres i Quatre, 1983); Tragèdia de Caldesa i altres proses, ed. Marina Gustà, pròleg de Francisco Rico (Barcelona: Eds. 62 I La Caixa, 1980); Proses mitològiques, ed. Josep Lluís. Martos (València-Barcelona: PAM, 2001) [el text d'aquesta edició és accessible també a www.narpan.net/ben/indexcorella.htm]

Editions of Tirant lo Blanc [lectura obligatòria]:

-Joanot Martorell, Tirant lo Blanc i altres escrits de J.M., ed. Martí de Riquer (Barcelona: Ariel, 1990, amb reedicions posteriors); el mateix text, sense el pròleg de Riquer, a Barcelona: Eds. 62 I La Caixa (MOLC), 2 vols., i Barcelona: Eds. 62, 2016. Altres edicions: ed. Albert Hauf (València: Tirant lo Blanch, 2004); ed. Víctor Labrado (Barcelona: La Magrana, 2010).

Edition of Jaume Roig's Espill:

-Jaume Roig, Espill, ed. Antònia Carré (Barcelona: Quaderns Crema, 2006).

 

Links

-Portal Tirant lo Blanc: www.lluisvives.com/portal/tirant/

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