*Catalan 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 2578
Bradley S. Epps
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Tutorial supervision of research on subjects not treated in regular courses.
French Ax. Reading French
Catalog Number: 2763
Judith Frommer and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: Tu., Th., 10–11:30; Section II: Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13
An introduction to reading modern French prose for students who require only reading knowledge of French for research purposes. Selection of materials in accordance with students’ needs. Some previous study of a Romance language helpful but not necessary.
Note: Not open to students with a score of 500 or above on the SAT II French test, or to graduate students with more than one year of undergraduate French, or to auditors. May not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail.
*French Bab. Intensive Elementary French: Special Course
Catalog Number: 8780 Enrollment: Limited to 15 students per section.
Judith Frommer and staff
Full course (spring term). Section I: M. through F., at 10 and Tu., Th., at 11. Section II: M., through F., at 1 and Tu., Th., at 2. EXAM GROUP: 3, 12, 13
A complete first-year course for non-requirement students. Provides a solid foundation in French for those with absolutely no prior knowledge of the language. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing are all emphasized, with class time devoted to oral expression. After French Bab, students should be able to engage in everyday conversation with native speakers, and read straightforward texts, both fiction and non-fiction, with relative ease.
Note: May not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail. French Bab does not section. Interested students should see Prof. Frommer for an interview during the fall term reading period.
Prerequisite: An advanced knowledge of at least one foreign language.
French Ca. Intermediate French I
Catalog Number: 1810
Judith Frommer and staff
Half course (fall term). M. through Th., sections at 9, 10, 11, 12, or 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
A beginning intermediate course emphasizing the basic communication skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and including a study of grammar. Students become familiar with contemporary France through videotapes, feature length films, and interactive videodisc and are introduced to French literature through a selection of short texts.
Note: Conducted in French. Open to students who have passed French A or for initial placement, to students with a placement score of 500-599 on the SAT II test
or the Harvard Placement Test, or 3 years of French in high school, or with permission of the instructor. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
French Cb. Intermediate French II: La Francophonie
Catalog Number: 6343
Judith Frommer and staff
Half course (spring term). Three weekly meetings: Section I: M., W., F., at 9; Section II: M., W., F., at 10; Section III: M., W., F., at 12; Section IV: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
Aims to further develop the four communicative skills while introducing students to the concept of “la francophonie” as represented in literature and films from Quebec, the Caribbean, and Africa. In French Cb, students continue the study of grammar begun in French Ca.
Note: Conducted in French.
Prerequisite: Open to students after French Ca, or with a placement score of 600-659 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test; or by permission of instructor. May not be taken pass/fail.
French 25. Intermediate French III: L’Etre humain et son univers
Catalog Number: 8781
Marlies Mueller and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Fall: Section I: M., W., F., at 9; Section II: M., W., F., at 10; Section III: M., W., F., at 12; Section IV: M.,W., F., at 1. Spring: Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 12.. EXAM GROUP: Fall: 10; Spring: 3
An introduction to French literature and cinema combined with a complete review of French grammar. Contemporary texts and films are chosen that explore enduring questions of human experience. Reflections on the meaning of life are compared and contrasted. Authors and filmmakers include Baudelaire, Camus, Kieslowski, Pagnol, Rimbaud, and Sartre. By the end of the semester, students should be able to understand lectures in French and express their thoughts orally and in writing with confidence using simple, complete French.
Note: Conducted in French. Open to students with a grade of A- in French A or French Bab, a B in French Ca with language requirement completed, a B in French Cb, or, for initial placement, a placement score between 600-659 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test; or by permission of the instructor. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
French 27. French Oral Survival: Le Français parlé
Catalog Number: 3060
Judith Frommer and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Fall: Section I: M. through F., at 9; Section II: M. through F., at 12; Section III: M. through F., at 1; Spring: Section I: M. through F., at 9; Section II: M. through F., at 12; Section III: M. through F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 2
A course stressing oral communication intended to prepare students for immersion in any Francophone country. Current vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and culturally appropriate speech strategies are presented thematically. Students improve listening and speaking skills using videotapes, films, interactive videodiscs, and audiocassettes; they review grammar with a computer tutorial. Weekly articles from the French press offer opportunities to develop reading skills while providing information about contemporary France. After taking French 27, students should feel at ease speaking French and conversing with native speakers and should be able to handle all situations encountered in everyday life.
Note: Open to students with a placement score of 600-659 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test; and to those who have received a grade of B+ in French A or Bab, a B in French Ca with language requirement completed, or a B in French Cb or French 25, or permission of instructor. French 27 may not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail.
French 31. Oral Expresssion: La France à travers les medias
Catalog Number: 0490
Judith Frommer and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Designed for students with a conversational level of French who want to further develop their oral-aural skills. Students will increase their vocabulary and acquire more sophisticated speech strategies while learning about France through the French press, (both written and audio-visual), films, and the world wide web. The course will include a grammar review and practice in writing.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Open to students with a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test. Also open to students who have taken French 25 or French 27, or by permission of the instructor.
French 35. Upper-Level French I: “La quête de soi et le rapport avec autrui”
Catalog Number: 1935
Marlies Mueller and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Fall: Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11; Section III: M., W., F., at 1. Spring: Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11; Section III: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 3, 4
A course in French language, literature, and film designed to develop facility in speaking, listening comprehension, writing, and reading at the advanced level. Considers representations of the self in French literature and cinema, and the various cultural institutions within which individuality is constructed. Genealogy, politics, law, art, memory, education, and religion are considered in literary context. How does one arrive at knowledge of self, and what are the consequences of this knowledge? Authors and filmmakers attempting to answer this question include Baudelaire, Camus, Duras, Hugo, Leconte, Rouan, Truffaut, and Vercors; course includes a complete grammar review and vocabulary building, in context.
Note: Conducted in French.
Prerequisite: For initial placement, French 25, or permission of instructor. Open to students with a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test taken. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
French 36. Upper-Level French II: Liberté et Conscience
Catalog Number: 6963
Marlies Mueller and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11; Section III: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 13
An advanced course in French language and literature structured to develop near-native fluency in written and oral expression. Examines the nature and consequences of freedom. How do power, knowledge, and freedom interrelate? What ethical difficulties does the affirmation of individual liberty occasion? Politics, philosophy, art, and literary imagination are considered as they relate to the creation and expansion of human autonomy. Authors and film directors include Balzac, Beauvoir, Camus, Granier-Deferre, Maupassant, Nuytten, Ophuls, Renoir, Ribowska, and Yourcenar. Grammar is reviewed in context, complemented by audiotapes, videotapes, films, and optional computer-assisted instruction materials designed to sharpen oral/aural skills.
Note: Conducted in French.
Prerequisite: French 25, 27, 30, or 35; a placement score of 690 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test ; or permission of the instructor. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
French 37. Les régions de France: hier et aujourd’hui
Catalog Number: 7909
Marie-France Bunting and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 3
A journey through various regions of France surveying the present and past identities of Bretagne, Alsace, and Provence, Dordogne and Périgord, through history, folklore, traditions, gastronomy, art, music, and regional literature. Resources for class discussions include current articles from the French press, information from web sites, and historical, sociological and literary writings as well as films and video documents. Emphasis on oral communication. An advanced grammar review is offered along with practice in writing and vocabulary enrichment.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: French 31, 35 or 36. Open to students with a placement score of 710 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or by permission of the instructor.
French 38b. Introduction to Francophone Literature
Catalog Number: 2581
Marie-France Bunting and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 3
Designed to introduce students to the works of some leading Francophone writers from Québec, Antilles, North and West Africa while helping them acquire greater skills and confidence in both oral and written expression. Discussions will focus on issues of identity and alienation as expressed in the works of Hébert, Condé, Chedid, Sembène, Laye, Chraïbi, and Francophone film directors.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken pass/fail.
Prerequisite: French 31, 35, 36, 37. Open to students with a placement score of 710 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
French 45. Le Français économique et commercial
Catalog Number: 7122
Judith Frommer and staff.
Half course (spring term). Section I: Tu., Th., 10–11:30; Section II: Tu., Th., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Designed for students interested in international business or affairs or who intend to work or travel for business in French-speaking countries. Through audiovisual materials, and current newspaper and magazine articles, students become familiar with the current business and economic climate in France, and find out about practices, customs, and “intangibles” that make French businesses different from their American counterparts. Students learn specialized business and economic vocabulary and the principles of business correspondence. Those enrolled may take the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry exams and obtain an official certificate attesting to their proficiency in French.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Open to students with a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test. Also open to students who have taken French 25 or French 27, or by permission of the instructor.
French 47. Contemporary French Society
Catalog Number: 5611
Marie-France Bunting
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 3
Advanced study of French which combines an active use of the language and practice in writing with a close look at some fundamental issues within contemporary French society. We will study in depth such topics as: family, gender, the educational system, urban problems, and social stratification. Resources for class discussion include readings from sociological, historical and literary sources as well as articles from the French press and websites. Films and documentaries are frequently used to add a cultural and human understanding to the course material.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail. Open to students with a placement score of 760 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or by permission of instructor.
Prerequisite: French 36, 37, or 38b.
French 48. French Institutions: Some Current Debates
Catalog Number: 8290
Marie-France Bunting
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 3, 5
Designed to develop greater linguistic fluency while introducing students to some major debates in French society today. Themes to be explored include: French politics, immigration, religion, the relationship of France with her former colonies, the French language, “l’exception culturelle,” “la Francophonie,” and France within the European Union. Students will participate in discussions based on readings from the French press and websites as well as from sociological, historical and literary sources. Films and video documents closely related to the course material will emphasize the social, cultural and human aspects.
Note: Conducted entirely in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: French 37, 38b, 45 or 47. Open to students with a placement score of 780 on the SAT II test or the Harvard placement test; or by permission of the instructor.
French 51. Writing Workshop
Catalog Number: 0575 Enrollment: Limited to 15 per section.
Marie-France Bunting
Half course (fall term). M., W., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Aims to strengthen and develop the students’ competence in written expression. Using short novels, short stories, essays and sample texts drawn from history, philosophy, and journalism, students learn to practice different styles in creative, argumentative, and analytical writings. Special emphasis will be paid to stylistic variations, lexical nuances, and complex grammatical structures. In addition, we will study certain forms of French rhetoric such as le résumé (summary) and la lecture méthodique (close reading). Students’ work will be discussed in class and in private conferences.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: French 36, 37, 38b, 47 or 48. Open to students with a Harvard Placement test ot 750, or by permission of the instructor. Recommended for concentrators and joint concentrators.
French 52. Advanced Oral Expression
Catalog Number: 2610
Marie-France Bunting
Half course (spring term). M., W., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Designed for students interested in working with the specificity of oral French in order to improve their comprehension, fluency, syntactic accuracy, and pronunciation. The aim of the course is threefold: to fine-tune listening comprehension; to develop linguistic skills in presenting oneself, expressing emotions, debating, negotiating, counseling, persuading, etc.; and to improve pronunciation (practice of sounds, intonation and rhythm through short dialogues and memorization of poems). Authentic materials in print or on audio or video cassettes will be used as models. In addition to practical, corrective work, students will participate collectively in a theatrical production as a final class project.
Note: Conducted in French. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: French 37, 38b, 47, or 48. Open to students with a score of 750 on a Harvard Placement test, or by permission of the instructor. Recommended for concentrators and joint concentrators.
French 70a. Introduction to French Literature I: The Beginnings of Literary Space
Catalog Number: 2865
Tom Conley
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13
Panorama of texts selected from medieval, early modern, and classical periods. Emphasis on literature and the visual arts.
Note: Lectures in French, accompanied by viewings of related visual materials; and discussion.
Prerequisite: Open to students with a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, equivalent preparation, or permission of instructor.
French 70b. Introduction to French Literature II: From the Romantics to the Present
Catalog Number: 6720
Alice Jardine
Half course (spring term). T., 1–3, plus one additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Significant texts from the 19th and 20th centuries examined in the light of contemporary literary and cultural criticism.
Note: Lectures in French; third hour devoted to discussion of texts studied.
Prerequisite: Ability to understand and read French with ease.
[French 70c. Introduction to French Literature III: The Francophone World]
Catalog Number: 6432
Samba Diop
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies short stories, poetry, film, and drama from Black Africa, Quebec, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guyana, Vietnam, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Madagascar, Djibouti, and La Réunion.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Lectures in French.
Prerequisite: Ability to understand and read French with ease.
*French 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 3954
Marie-France Bunting and members of the Department
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Tutorial supervision of research on subjects not treated in regular courses.
*French 97. Tutorial—Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 0173
Alice Jardine and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term). Tu., 1–3. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Group tutorial. What is “literature”? Introduction to literary interpretation. Discussion of literary works in relation to literary theory.
Note: Required of concentrators in their sophomore year. Open to non-concentrators by permission of the instructor.
*French 98. Tutorial—Junior Year
Catalog Number: 0879
Marie-France Bunting and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of French 98 is required of all honors concentrators.
*French 99. Tutorial—Senior Year
Catalog Number: 2836
Marie-France Bunting and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Weekly individual instruction for honors seniors writing a thesis. Successful completion of one semester of French 99 is required of all honors concentrators. To enroll, see Marie-France Bunting, the Undergraduate Advisor in French.
French 102. Introduction to Medieval Literature and Old French
Catalog Number: 9929
Virginie Greene
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30. EXAM GROUP: 12, 13
Provides students with linguistic, literary and cultural means of exploring French medieval literature. We will study verse and prose works from the 12th to the 15th century, using both editions in Old French and translations in modern French.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 104. The Autumn of the Middle Ages]
Catalog Number: 7978
Virginie Greene
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
“So violent and motley was life, that it bore the mixed smell of blood and of roses” (Johan Huizinga, 1924). We will explore 14th- and 15th-century French literature not only in search of “blood and roses” esthetics, but also in questioning the relations between faith and reason, princes and poets, melancholy and enjoyment, fiction and reality. We will read texts by well-known authors such as François Villon, Jean Froissart, Philippe de Commynes, Christine de Pizan, and texts by less-known ones such as Antonine de La Sale, René d’Anjou, La Tour Landry.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03.
French 107. The Middle Ages in 19th-Century French Literature
Catalog Number: 3819
Virginie Greene
Half course (fall term). M., W., 12:30–2. EXAM GROUP: 5, 6
“Encore du moyen âge, toujours du moyen âge!” Théophile Gautier complained in 1835. From Chateaubriand to Proust, we will try to understand why romantics, symbolists, decadents, and even realists like Flaubert, were driven to use the Middle Ages in their literary undertakings. Readings will include poetry, drama, novels and historiography, by Nodier, Hugo, Dumas père, Michelet, Aloysius Bertrand, Nerval, Balzac, Huysmans, France, and others.
Note: Expected to be omitted in 2001–02. Conducted in French.
French 119. The French 17th Century: A Century of Moralists
Catalog Number: 9288
Alexia Elisabeth Duc
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 10–11:30.
More than any other period in French literature, the 17th century is preoccupied with the observation of the moeurs of its society, and the profession of moraliste becomes a common point between authors from various genres ranging from the theater to the novel and the formes brèves such as pensées, caractères, fables, maxims, etc. How can we explain such an appeal? What is the nature of this morale, and what vision does it offer of man, in a time of cultural, political and social transformations? Readings include La Mothe le Vayer, Sorel, Pascal, Molière, La Rochefoucauld, La Fontaine, Nicole, Racine, La Bruyère.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 121. The Text of the Renaissance]
Catalog Number: 4006
Tom Conley
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies printed writing of the Renaissance as creative form; includes readings of Rhétoriquers, Marot, Rabelais, arts poétiques, Ronsard, Pléiade and Baroque poetry, and personal essay: Hélisenne de Crenne, Montaigne, and d‘Aubigné.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in French.
[French 130. Literature and Cartography: History and Theory]
Catalog Number: 7252
Tom Conley
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Studies groundwork of a new field through comparative analysis of space, language, and locational imaging from late-medieval texts to the computer. Readings will extend into early modern print-culture (Rabelais, Finé, Thevet), the classical age (Descartes, Corneille, Sanson); the Enlightenment (Diderot, Cassini survey, Vaugondy); post-1789 (De Lisle, Balzac, Vidal de la Blache); the age of cinema (Clair, L’Herbier, Godard). Theory includes Certeau, Deleuze, Foucault, Jacob, Lefebvre.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in French.
French 131. From the Study to the Stage: Self, Identity and Writing in the 17th Century
Catalog Number: 7385
Alexia Elisabeth Duc
Half course (fall term). M., W., (F.), at 10. EXAM GROUP: 3
The argument of the course presents a counter-narrative to conventional histories of the emancipation of the individual beginning in the Renaissance and continuing steadily through the Enlightenment. In 17th-century France, the prevailing modes of constructing the self reflect a strong skepticism towards the very possibility of self-knowledge which leads to a reflection on the relationship between subjectivity and what is exterior to it but defines it; discourse, society, God. Readings start with Montaigne whose seminal enterprise sets the terms of the debate and follow with lyrical poetry (T. de Viau, St. Amant), theater (Corneille, Molière) moralist writing (La Rochefoucauld, Nicole, Pascal) and letters (Mme de Sévigné, Bussy-Rabutin).
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 132a. 20th-Century French Fiction I: The Realist Mode]
Catalog Number: 4382
Susan R. Suleiman
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
How has realism been interpreted by its major modern practitioners in French? Is realism in fiction a style, a genre, an ideology, a way of seeing, a way of reading? What is the relation between realism and history, politics, sexual politics, ethics? Discussions of work by Colette, Gide, Céline, Sartre, Camus, Beauvoir, and others, as well as selected critical essays.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03.
[French 132b. 20th-Century French Fiction II: The Experimental Mode]
Catalog Number: 1890
Susan R. Suleiman
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
What are some alternatives to (or subversions of) realism in fiction? We will try to answer that question by examining four major experimental currents or movements in 20th-century imaginative writing: Surrealism, the nouveau roman, the Oulipo, and écriture féminine. Discussion of works by Breton, Crevel, Bataille, Robbe-Grillet, Sarraute, Queneau, Perec, Duras, Wittig, Cixous, as well as selected critical essays.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
[French 136. Feminist Literary Criticisms]
Catalog Number: 3845
Alice Jardine
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Close readings of postwar French fiction and theory with emphasis on what is called “the feminine” in key psychoanalytic, philosophical, and literary feminist writings of the French poststructuralist tradition. What has been the legacy and impact of the last three decades of dialogue between French “theory” and feminist “practice” in the United States? Writings to be considered include Hélène Cixous, Marguerite Duras, Jeanne Hyvrard, Luce Irigaray, Julia Kristeva, and Monique Wittig as well as Gilles Deleuze, Jacques Derrida, and Jacques Lacan.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in English. Readings in French.
Prerequisite: Excellent reading knowledge of French.
French 139a (formerly French 139). The 18th Century: Self and Society
Catalog Number: 2906
Christie McDonald
Half course (fall term). W., 2–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
An exploration of how the relationship between self and other, society and utopia, inaugurates a discourse on change from the second half of the 18th century through the French Revolution: Marivaux, Rousseau, Diderot, d’Alembert, Voltaire, Sade, Gouges, Beaumarchais, Condorcet.
Note: Given in French.
[French 139b. The 18th Century: Ethical Dilemmas]
Catalog Number: 2223
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Questions how notions of the personhood and otherness inhabit the emergent novel: exploring the way in which events and values are resisted or subsumed in literary discourse and the kind of social and political responsibility that accompanies it. Readings will be taken from the works of Charrière, Gouges, Laclos, Marivaux, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Sade, Voltaire, etc.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in French.
French 151. 19th-Century “-Isms”: Romanticism and Realism
Catalog Number: 6512
Richard Terdiman (University of California, Santa Cruz)
Half course (spring term). M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Considers the major literary movements of the first half of the 19th century in France—Romanticism and Realism. Readings drawn from Hugo, Vigny, Lamartine, Musset, Stendhal, Balzac, Flaubert, and others. The examination given to these texts and movements will be historical, critical and comparatist. Their interrelations with contemporary social and cultural developments in France, with other arts, and with each other will be major foci of the course.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 161. The Subject in Question]
Catalog Number: 3214
Christie McDonald
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Explores the question of the subject in autobiographical and biographical writings: how identities constituted in fiction and nonfiction explore the limits of available models (rhetorical, historical, political, and sexual) from the Western tradition. Readings include works by such authors as Rousseau, Stein, de Beauvoir, Sartre, Barnes, Barthes, Carol Shields, Gabrielle Ray.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English. French concentrators may take for credit.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of French recommended.
[French 165. Marcel Proust]
Catalog Number: 4620
Christie McDonald
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
In Proust’s novel, A la recherche du temps perdu, questions of time and memory, truth and signification, literature and philosophy converge to ask: who am I? What does it mean to become a writer? Discussion of Proust’s novels and essays, as well as a number of critical texts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in French.
[French 167. Parisian Cityscapes]
Catalog Number: 7641
Verena A. Conley
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the rapid urbanization of Paris from World War II to the present by means of fiction, films and critical essays. Investigates how the Americanization of France, decolonization, immigration, globalization and the European Union continue to restructure the city with repercussions on its social, political, and artistic life (Allouache, Augé, Balibar, de Beauvoir, Beyala, Godard, Kassovitz, Maspero, Latour, Ross and others).
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in French.
French 168. Modern French Fiction
Catalog Number: 0589
Leo Bersani (University of California, Berkeley, Emeritus)
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 4. EXAM GROUP: 9
In reading several “consecrated” (and some less consecrated...) texts from 20th-century French fiction, we will be examining a possible (or inherent) relation between monumentality and dereliction. How does a cultural movement identify itself as a cultural derelict? In what sense might dereliction be a sign not only of cultural defeat but also of cultural value? Works by Proust, Gide, Breton, Bataille, Sartre, Camus, Duras, Wittig, Beckett, Michon and Bergougnioux.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 175. Julia Kristeva: Introductions and Conclusions]
Catalog Number: 1888
Alice Jardine
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A textual and political introduction to one of the most important intellectuals of the 20th century as well as an attempt to draw some conclusions about the promises of her work for the future. Special attention will be paid to the question of gender and women in her writings.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in English with readings in French.
Prerequisite: Excellent reading knowledge of French. Some background in French Poststructuralist theory would be helpful.
[French 180. 20th-Century French and Francophone Women Writers]
Catalog Number: 4566
Alice Jardine
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A consideration of some of the major novels by women writing in French from Colette to Djebar. Emphasis will be added to the literary, critical and political questions raised by the inclusion of women‘s cultural work into the canon.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in English. Readings in French.
French 182. Poetics and Politics: Contemporary French Theory and Culture
Catalog Number: 0684
Verena A. Conley
Half course (fall term). M., W., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Focuses on the relation between cultural production and politics in the debate over the evolution of societies. Deals with cultural responses (theory, fiction and film) to unifying processes of global modernity. Readings include: Augé, Balibar, Cixous, Deleuze and Guattari, Derrida, Djébar, Godard,Virilio, and others.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 188. Women Francophone Writers]
Catalog Number: 9922
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Women writers of the Francophone world brought forth a style of writing referred to as l’écriture féminine and féministe. Their narratives project a new social vision based on the elucidation of problems that reflect the colonial and post-colonial world. Thus, there is a dynamic impulse predicated on the articulation of themes pertaining to societies where women are at the forefront in many areas; through the aid of narratives, we are given specific interpretations of topics: family, polygeny, modern/urban and rural life, education, marriage, the workplace, gender, race and ethnicity, etc. Authors include A. Andria, A. Sow Fall, M. Bâ, K. Bugul, C. Njuzi, H.Bassek, W. Liking, M. Rakotoson, (Africa and Madagascar); A. Djebar, F. Mernissi (Maghreb); M. Lacrosil, M.-T. Colimon, M. Condé (Antilles); M. Ndiaye, C. Beyala (France).
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in French.
[French 194. Francophone Film, Cinema, and Epic Fiction]
Catalog Number: 9392
Samba Diop
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Francophone cinema articulates themes in visual forms, with a distinct style of expression: colonization; decolonization; millenarian politics; the status of women; Western consumerism; the disenfranchised poor; Islam, Christianity and African religions; the griot and epic traditions; urban and rural life; myths and folktales; post-colonial life; education; reverse anthropology; etc. The peculiarity of Francophone cinema is that national languages such as Berber, Wolof, Arabic, Creole, Mandinka, are used as media of expression. However, because of the interferences with French, there is a disglossia between French and the national languages. Films allow us a broad
view of the landscapes and of peoples in concrete forms. To provide contrast, we will read selected novels and epic texts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English. Readings available in English and in French.
French 198. Nations of Writers: On Contemporary Francophone Literature
Catalog Number: 3144
Reda Bensmaia (Brown University)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
Does a writer belong to a “Nation”? To which Nation does a writer belong when he or she writes in the language of his or her former colonizer? Does political independence warrant the existence of a new Nation? How does literature contribute to the emergence and consolidation of a new Nation? How does Francophone literature relate to French literature? These are some of the questions which will guide our reading of major contemporary Francophone writers. Works or excerpts of works by Nina Bouraoui, Leïla Sebbar, Albert Memmi, Jacques Derrida,Abdelkébir Khatibi, Assia Djébar, Nabile Farès, Hélé Béji, Hélène Cixous, Jacques Roumain, Édouard Glissant and others.
Note: Conducted in French.
[French 242. Jean-Jacques Rousseau]
Catalog Number: 8357
Christie McDonald and Stanley Hoffmann
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
The course will read a broad sweep of Rousseau‘s anthropological, literary, social and political, as well as the autobiographical works. Discussion will focus on key themes such as the relation between sentiment and reason, nature and culture, independence and dependence. Readings will include the Discours, the Contrat social, Emile, Nouvelle Héloise, and Les Confessions.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. The language of class discussion will be determined.
Prerequisite: An excellent reading knowledge of French.
French 255. A Certain Idea of France: La France Imaginée
Catalog Number: 0420
Lawrence D. Kritzman (Dartmouth College)
Half course (spring term). M., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Throughout French cultural history the issues of race and culture have been integrally linked to questions of nationalism and the constitution of personal and social identity. Drawing upon a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives (history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and psychoanalysis) and practical expressions (education, propaganda, and socio-cultural rituals), we will examine the concept of the nation, the question of race, and the politics of racism conceptually and historically.
Note: Classroom discussion in French and English. A reading knowledge of French is required.
French 258. Writing the Whole: “Totality” and its Discontents
Catalog Number: 4790
Richard Terdiman (University of California, Santa Cruz)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2–5. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17, 18
Explores several versions of 19th-century representation of the world as a comprehensible “totality.” Principal readings in Balzac, Flaubert, Marx, and Mallarmé. Today the notion of “totality” is regularly discredited. Why were writers in the 19th century so committed to it? And why do many stigmatize it today?
Note: Conducted in English, with primary readings in French.
[French 267. The Public Intellectual in France, from Zola to Bourdieu]
Catalog Number: 6201
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
What forms has the political engagement of the intellectuals in France taken since the Dreyfus Affair, when the term “intellectual” first came into use? Are writers obligated to become involved in public life, or should they leave that to politicians? Is the intellectual always male? We will discuss these and related questions raised by major works and moments of debate in French cultural life since the turn of the 20th century. Works by Zola, Barrès, Benda, Nizan, Sartre, Beauvoir, Camus, Sollers, Debord, Kristeva, Bourdieu and others.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English or French, depending upon student preference.
French 269. Sociability, Sexuality, and Community
Catalog Number: 9715
Leo Bersani (University of California, Berkeley, Emeritus)
Half course (fall term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
This seminar assumes, and takes as its point of departure, a certain familiarity with the widespread problematizing today of the nature and value of community, of the relation between community and identity, and, most significantly, of the nature of sociality itself. A time of relational crisis is also a time of a dangerous but also potentially beneficial confusion about modes of connectedness, about the ways in which who or what or how we are depend on how we connect. We will study various “plateau of relationality”: monogamy and the intimately conjoined couple; cruising and promiscuity; sociability; political identity; solidarity between the human and the non-human. Cultural texts from literature (Sophocles, Molière, Beckett, Sartre), philosophy and social/political theory.
Note: Conducted in English.
[French 270. War and Memory: Representations of World War II in Postwar French Literature, History and Film]
Catalog Number: 7428
Susan R. Suleiman
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Discussion of selected novels, essays, autobiographical and historical writings, and films about wartime experiences, as seen from immediate and later postwar perspectives. Topics include trauma, testimony, and the relations between history and its representations. Works by Sartre, Céline, Simon, Perec, Duras, Modiano, Delbo, Ophuls, and others.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Open to qualified juniors and seniors.
[French 289r. French African Literature: Seminar]
Catalog Number: 4502
Samba Diop
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Topic for 2001-02: The Black African and Maghrebin Francophone Novel. Fictional writings from Black and North Africa. Themes discussed: colonization, Islam, Christianity, and animism, polygeny, French language and education in Africa, postcoloniality, women’s writings, modernity, relation between North and Black Africa, etc. Both essays and novels by: M. Béti, K. Yacine, A. Khatibi, V. Tadjo, O. Sembène, T. Ben Jelloun, Ken Bugul, A. Djebar, Hampâté Bâ, Werewere Liking, H. Lopès, M. Dib, A. Meddeb.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Open to qualified undergraduates. Conducted in French.
*French 330. Direction of Doctoral Dissertations
Catalog Number: 7843
Tom Conley 1908, Samba Diop 3079 (on leave 2000-01), Virginie Greene 1007, Alice Jardine 7457, Barbara E. Johnson 7626 (on leave fall term), Christie McDonald 1160, and Susan R. Suleiman 7234 (on leave 2000-01)
Italian Ax. Reading Italian
Catalog Number: 4015
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (spring term). M., W., 2:30–4. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
For students (both undergraduate and graduate) with little or no knowledge of Italian. Aims at the rapid development of reading skills as a tool for research. Selections of materials in accordance with the needs of the participants.
Note: Not open to auditors. May not be used to fulfill the language requirement. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
*Italian Bab. Intensive Elementary Italian: Special Course
Catalog Number: 3065 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Full course (fall term; repeated spring term). Section I: M. through F., at 10, Tu., Th., at 9; Section II: M. through F., at 12, Tu., Th., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 3, 11, 12
A complete first-year course in one semester for students with no knowledge of Italian. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills are all emphasized with class time focused on developing oral/aural skills. Selected readings from 20th-century authors.
Note: May not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail. Conducted largely in Italian. Before the first day of classes interested students should call 495-5478 for sign-up information.
Prerequisite: An advanced knowledge of at least one foreign language, preferably a modern Romance language.
Italian Ca. Intermediate Italian I
Catalog Number: 3217
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: Tu., Th., 1–2:30 and one hour to be arranged; Section II: Tu., Th., 2:30–4 and one hour to be arranged; Section III: M., W., F., 12–1 and one hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Students are introduced to contemporary Italian culture with notions of history, geography, art, music, and literature, while developing the four basic communication skills. Includes a grammar review. Special audiovisual materials are used for insight into modern Italian culture and for developing the ability to understand Italian in many different social and intellectual situations.
Note: Conducted in Italian. Open to students who have passed Italian A, Italian Bab or, for initial placement, to students who achieve a placement score of 450-599 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
Italian Cb. Intermediate Italian II
Catalog Number: 6805
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: Tu., Th., 1–2:30 and one hour to be arranged; Section II: Tu., Th., 2:30–4 and one hour to be arranged; Section III: M., W., F., 12–1 and one hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
A logical continuation of Italian Ca, emphasizes developing fluent reading skills with two novels and a play by 20th century authors. Sophisticated written communication will be stressed through regular reaction papers and critical essays, and oral expression will be practiced with a performance of a theatrical work at the end of the semester. Computer-assisted activities reinforce vocabulary and grammar review.
Note: Conducted in Italian. Open to students whose placement score indicates a more advanced course, or as a continuation of Italian Ca. Also open to students who have earned a grade of B+ or above in Italian Bab.
*Italian Dab. Intensive Intermediate Italian: Special Course
Catalog Number: 7258 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Elvira G. DiFabio
Full course (spring term). M. through F., at 10 or 12 and Tu., Th., at 9 or 11. EXAM GROUP: 5, 13, 14
A complete second-year course in one semester for students with an elementary knowledge of Italian. Speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills are all emphasized with class time focused on further developing oral/aural skills. Sophisticated written communication will be stressed through regular reaction papers and critical essays, and oral expression will be practiced with a performance of a theatrical work at the end of the semester.
Note: May not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail. Conducted in Italian. Open to students who have passed Italian A, Italian Bab or, for initial placement, to students who achieve a placement score of 450-599 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor. Before the first day of classes interested students should call 495-5478 for sign-up information.
Italian 35. Upper-Level Italian I: Parliamo dell’Italia
Catalog Number: 2659
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (fall term). M., W., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Insights into Italian society and culture, especially through Italian newspaper and magazine articles, feature films, and videotapes. For students with a solid grasp of the fundamentals of Italian grammar. Aims at improving command of the language both in speaking and reading. Practice consists of discussions, oral presentations, and compositions.
Note: Conducted in Italian.
Prerequisite: Italian Cb, a placement score of 630 or above on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
Italian 36. Upper-Level Italian II: Letteratura e cinema
Catalog Number: 5223
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (spring term). M., W., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Students read three novels and view films on which they are based. The course aims at achieving proficiency in speaking and writing through vocabulary development and extension of control of higher-level syntactical patterns. Audiotapes and videotapes are used to sharpen oral/aural skills. Practice through class presentations, compositions, and discussions.
Note: Conducted in Italian.
Prerequisite: Italian 35 or permission of instructor.
Italian 44. Advanced Italian: Effetto Commedia
Catalog Number: 5776
Elvira G. DiFabio
Half course (fall term). Th., at 1, Tu., 1–3 and film screenings to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Comedy Italian style in cinema (from Totò to Benigni) and its origins. Presents students with another dimension of Italian culture, while perfecting their language skills. Problems in composition addressed through short weekly assignments; grammar review in context. Weekly video screenings.
Note: Conducted in Italian. Open to graduate students with permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: Italian 36 or permission of instructor.
Italian 48. Voices from Italy: Issues of Identity
Catalog Number: 0178
Elvira G. DiFabio
Half course (spring term). M., W., 3–4:30. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
An exploration of various identities of Italy, including that of non–Italians in contemporary Italy and Italians living abroad. Students will investigate these issues from a wide variety of sources, including popular music and films, news reports, and literary, historical and sociological texts. Frequent oral and written assignments. Grammar reviewed in context.
Note: Conducted in Italian.
Prerequisite: Italian Ca and 35 or permission of instructor.
Italian 50. Literary Translation
Catalog Number: 5676
Elvira G. DiFabio
Half course (spring term). M., W., 1–2:30. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
Practice in translation from English to Italian, and occasionally from Italian to English, using sample texts from literature, history, and philosophy. Introduction to a variety of styles, literary devices, semantic and cultural distinctions, and structural differences between Italian and English.
Note: Conducted in Italian. Open to students who have passed Italian 44 or by permission of the instructor. Open to graduate students with permission of the instructor.
[Italian 51. The Structure and Sounds of Italian]
Catalog Number: 1306
Elvira G. DiFabio
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Advanced grammar course introducing notions of phonology, morphology and syntax, including the analysis of frequently occurring linguistic phenomena especially within the verb paradigm. Includes modules on the history of the language, the dialectics and comparative Romance linguistics.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Italian or English. Open to qualified undergraduates and to graduate students.
Prerequisite: Open to students who have passed at least Italian 36, or by permission of the instructor.
*Italian 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 2287
Elvira G. DiFabio and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Tutorial supervision of research on subjects not treated in regular courses.
*Italian 97 (formerly *Italian 98r). Tutorial—Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 1795
Elvira G. DiFabio and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Conducted in Italian. Successful completion of one semester of Italian 97 is required of concentrators in their sophomore year.
*Italian 98. Tutorial—Junior Year
Catalog Number: 1167
Elvira G. DiFabio and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: Spring: 13, 14
Note: Successul completion of one semester of Italian 98 is required of all honors concentrators.
*Italian 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 7840
Lino Pertile and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of Italian 99 is required of all honors concentrators.
Italian 120a. Dante’s Inferno
Catalog Number: 1186
Lino Pertile
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., at 10 and one additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 12
Introduces students to Dante’s Divine Comedy, an Italian poem that for centuries has occupied a special position in the cultural life of the West, continues today to be a source of inspiration for artists, and is an object of intense interest for scholars all over the world. While concentrating on the close study of the Inferno against the background of medieval Italy, the course attempts to account for the poem’s enduring presence in our time.
Note: Conducted in English.
Italian 120d. Dante’s Purgatorio and Paradiso
Catalog Number: 2558
Lino Pertile
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 10 and one additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 12
Dante’s Divina Commedia. A continuation of Italian 120a.
Note: Conducted in English.
Italian 140. The Novella from Boccaccio to the Storytellers of the 16th Century
Catalog Number: 4689
Franco Fido
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Focus on the flowering of a “genre” peculiar to the Italian literary tradition: the novella or short story in prose, from its glorious inception in Boccaccio’s Decameron to the works of the best storytellers in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, such as Sacchetti, Mascuccio Salernitano, Bandello, Parabosco, Lasca, Straparola. Selected tales by these and other authors will be studied for their artistic quality, and as a mirror of the varied, colorful life of Italian society between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Note: Conducted in English or Italian.
Italian 163. From Memoirs to Confessions: Autobiography in Europe in the 18th and Late 19th Century
Catalog Number: 3503
Franco Fido
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
In the 18th century the writing of one’s memoirs—as a record of events witnessed by the author and preserved for future readers—evolves first into the reconstruction of one’s intellectual career for the benefit of pupils or followers, then into the project of recounting one’s life in order to find a meaning to it. Finally, with and after Rousseau, such a project turns increasingly to introspection and confession, and at the same time, involves a re-invention of the Self, bringing autobiography close to the novel. After a short introduction of early models, such as Saint Augustin, Montaigne, Cellini, authors discussed will include Vico, Hume, Gibbon, Franklin, Mme. Rolland, Goldoni, Da Ponte, Casanova, Alfieri, Goethe, Cheataubriand, Stendhal.
Note: Conducted in English.
[Italian 193. Literature and Fascism]
Catalog Number: 0981
Lino Pertile
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
To what extent did Italian culture contribute to, and how was it affected by, the rise and consolidation of Fascism? How did Italian writers, artists, and intellectuals react and adapt to the Fascist regime? This course aims at providing an understanding of the culture of the 1920s and 1930s while focusing on some major literary works of the period.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Italian.
[Italian 195. The Post War Novel]
Catalog Number: 1502
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Aims at providing a critical understanding of some major novels published in Italy since 1945. Authors considered will include Cesare Pavese, Italo Calvino, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, Leonardo Sciascia, Dacia Maraini. The focus of the course will be on the changing relationship between writer and society in the past fifty years of Italian history.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Italian required.
[Italian 198. Italo Calvino: The Poetics of Lightness]
Catalog Number: 0358
Laura Benedetti
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Nonexistent knights, cloven viscounts, cosmicomics, the geography of the city and the universe: the production of the most experimental Italian writer of the 20th century engages in a dialogue with literary tradition, investigates the links between literature and science, and reflects on the mechanisms of textual creation and consumption. In the first of the Norton lectures that he was going to deliver at Harvard in 1985, Calvino described his working method as one involving “the subtraction of weight.” The course explores the author’s “poetics of lightness” through a thorough analysis of his work, from the war novel The Path to the Spider’s Nest (1947) to the textual adventures of If in a Winter Night a Traveler (1979).
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English. Readings available both in the original and in translation.
[Italian 235 (formerly 135). Boccaccio]
Catalog Number: 6488
Franco Fido
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Boccaccio’s writings from the early Neapolitan works to the Decameron, with special attention to Boccaccio’s narrative poetics and techniques.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in Italian.
Italian 240. Gadda and His Critics
Catalog Number: 3908
Federica G. Pedriali (University of Edinburgh)
Half course (spring term). Tu., 2:30–5. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17, 18
When it came out in 1957, “Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana” was hailed as the Italian Finnegans Wake, as the point of reference for any theoretical thinking on the contemporary Italian novel. Forty years on, however, Gadda’s text-theory is beginning to prove its narrative quality through a new breed of critics. To examine the reception of Gadda’s works involves, then, re-assessing some of the pivotal ideas in late 20th-century critical thought. This is the aim of the course, which will look at Gadda and his readers, questioning both from a post-poststructuralist frame of reference.
Note: Conducted in English or in Italian.
[Italian 256. Themes and Dreams of the Italian Renaissance]
Catalog Number: 2749
Laura Benedetti
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
The course will examine topics which were the subject of intense debate during the Renaissance: the rediscovery of Aristotle’s Poetics, the role of the intellectual, the questione della lingua, and the notion of woman. Texts from Castiglione, Bembo, Tasso, Fonte, Marinelli and others.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Discussion in either Italian or English.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Italian necessary.
[Italian 259. Torquato Tasso and the Age of Crisis]
Catalog Number: 1549
Laura Benedetti
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
The last great author of the Italian Renaissance lived in a time of cultural and spiritual turmoil, when religious concerns and critical considerations were seeking to impose strict limitations on artistic freedom. While focusing on Tasso’s masterpiece Gerusalemme liberata, the course also explores Tasso’s theory of the epic and his late, desperate attempt to provide with the Gerusalemme conquistata a new kind of poem, in line with Catholic orthodoxy, Aristotelian principles and, ultimately, with the poet’s own conscience.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Italian.
Italian 270ar (formerly Italian 270r). Italian Literature Seminar
Catalog Number: 0694
Franco Fido
Half course (fall term). W., 1:30–4. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7, 8
Topic for 2000-01: Poeti dialettali italiani dal Settecento al Novecento.
Note: Conducted in Italian.
Italian 270br. Italian Literature: Seminar
Catalog Number: 3937
Lino Pertile
Half course (spring term). M., 2:30–5. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8, 9
Topic for 2000-01: Foscolo and the Literature of the Napoleonic Age.
Italian 281r. Italian Literature: Seminar
Catalog Number: 1140
Franco Fido
Half course (spring term). W., 2:30–5. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8, 9
Topic for 2000–01: Goldoni e il teatro comico del Settecento.
*Italian 330. Direction of Doctoral Dissertations
Catalog Number: 3679
Laura Benedetti 1327 (on leave 2000-01), Dante Della Terza 1461, Franco Fido 2446, and Lino Pertile 3416
Portuguese Ac. Elementary Portuguese for Spanish Speakers
Catalog Number: 0430
Patricia Sobral and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 12; Section II: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 5
An introductory language course designed for students with native or near-native fluency in Spanish. Along with the fundamental communication skills—understanding, speaking, reading and writing—the course will focus on those features of Portuguese which are most difficult for Spanish speakers: pronunciation, idioms and grammatical structures particular to Portuguese. Students will be introduced to the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world through readings and authentic materials, including films, music and videotapes.
Prerequisite: Native or near-native fluency in Spanish.
Portuguese Ad. Elementary Portuguese for Spanish Speakers
Catalog Number: 1315
Patricia Sobral and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F. at 12; Section II: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 5
A continuation of Portuguese Ac. By the end of the second semester, students should be able to communicate easily with native speakers and be acquainted with basic elements of Luso-Brazilian culture.
Prerequisite: Portuguese Ac or permission of instructor.
Portuguese Ba. Introduction to Portuguese
Catalog Number: 0514
Patricia Sobral and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., 3–5; Section II: M., W., 5–7. EXAM GROUP: 7, 8
A basic introductory course for students who can devote only one semester to the study of Portuguese. Teaches fundamental communication skills—understanding, speaking, reading and writing—but does not offer a complete study of grammar.
Portuguese Ca. Intermediate Portuguese I
Catalog Number: 7692
Patricia Sobral and staff
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1, plus an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
Develops facility in oral expression, writing, and reading. Compositions, class discussions, and oral reports based on modern short stories and newspaper and magazine articles. Grammar review, exercises in vocabulary building.
Note: Conducted in Portuguese. Especially recommended for those students who wish to improve their ability to speak and write Portuguese. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Portuguese A or permission of instructor.
Portuguese Cb. Intermediate Portuguese II
Catalog Number: 2799
Patricia Sobral and staff
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1, plus an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
A continuation of Portuguese Ca.
Note: Conducted in Portuguese. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Portuguese Ca or permission of instructor.
Portuguese 37. Brasil hoje: Contemporary Brazilian Culture through Media
Catalog Number: 5024
Patricia Sobral
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 2:30–4. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
An exploration of contemporary Brazil as presented in the Portuguese-language press, television, literature, and film. Students will read current issues of newspapers and magazines and see videotapes of Brazilian television and films, covering a broad spectrum of viewpoints and interests. The study of various aspects of life in Brazil today, such as education, family structures, and politics. A systematic grammar review is included.
Note: Conducted in Portuguese. May not be taken Pass/Fail, but may be taken SAT/UNS by GSAS students.
Prerequisite: Portuguese Ca/Cb or permission of the instructor.
[Portuguese 38. Images of Brazil: Contemporary Brazilian Cinema]
Catalog Number: 8893
Patricia Sobral
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
An exploration of the various images of Brazilian culture and society as seen and created within Brazil as well as abroad. This course will enable students to investigate current trends in contemporary Brazil through the eye of the camera. Students will watch and read the latest film and written materials produced in Brazil. Topics discussed include ethnic and national identity, race relations, and gender representation. A systematic grammar review is included.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Portuguese. May not be taken Pass/Fail, but may be taken SAT/UNS by GSAS students.
Prerequisite: Portuguese Ca/Cb or permission of the instructor.
[Portuguese 51. Journey Through Brazil: Advanced Writing and Reading in Portuguese]
Catalog Number: 0863
Patricia Sobral
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
An advanced course in Portuguese that takes the student on a journey through Brazil as seen through the eyes of several contemporary Brazilian writers and thinkers. The course will also look at views of Brazil from the outside, i.e., Brazilians writing about their country and experiences from abroad. Class materials will include novels, short stories, essays, interviews and other texts drawn from journalism and anthropology. Special emphasis will be paid to stylistic variations, lexical nuances, and complex grammatical structures. Frequent written and oral assignments.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
*Portuguese 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 5589
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho (fall term), Patricia Sobral (spring term) and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Advanced reading in topics not covered in regular courses.
Note: Limited to juniors and seniors.
*Portuguese 97. Tutorial — Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 5769
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho (fall term); Patricia Sobral (spring term) and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Successful completion of one semester of Portuguese 97 is required of all concentrators in their sophomore year.
*Portuguese 98 (formerly *Portuguese 98r). Tutorial — Junior Year
Catalog Number: 8667
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho (fall term); Patricia Sobral (spring term) and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Successful completion of one semester of Portuguese 98r is required of all honors concentrators. To enroll see course head.
*Portuguese 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 8753
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho (fall term); Patricia Sobral (spring term) and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
For honors seniors writing a thesis. Successful completion of one semester of Portuguese 99 is required of all honors concentrators. To enroll see course head.
[Portuguese 121b. Introduction to the Literature of Brazil II]
Catalog Number: 4363
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A continuation of Portuguese 121a.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03.
[Portuguese 122a. Introduction to the Literature of Portugal I]
Catalog Number: 2943
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
The main currents of Portuguese literature. Emphasis on major authors, literary schools, and socio-aesthetic ideas from Gil Vicente and Camões to Eça de Queiroz, Fernando Pessoa, Jorge de Sena, and José Saramago. Aims to teach students to read Portuguese texts and to think and write about them in a broad Western European context.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of Portuguese.
[Portuguese 122b. Introduction to the Literature of Portugal II]
Catalog Number: 3654
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A continuation of Portuguese 122a.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
Portuguese 160. The Cultural Politics of Brazilian Identity(ies): Post-64 Literature and Interrogations of Power, Ethics, and Alterity
Catalog Number: 1530
Nelson H. Vieira
Half course (spring term). Tu., 4–6. EXAM GROUP: 18
We will read selected prose written during Brazils military regime (1964-1985) and later (1990s) investigating contemporary transformations in literary representation that challenged Brazilian systems of hegemonic thinking and writing. Structures of power vs. social equality; cultural encounters and the construction of otherness; ethical recognition and the right to equitable representation; confrontation with cultural taboos; feminine and minority discourse; the tension between “high” and “low” art. Cultural representation as an epistemological, literary and political issue. The narratives of Ivan Angelo, Rubem Fonseca, Clarice Lispector, Sônia Coutinho, Caio Fernando Abreu, Sérgio SantAnna, Roberto Drummond, Moacyr Scliar, and theoretical and critical writings reflecting postcolonial, postmodern and cultural studies approaches.
Note: Conducted in Portuguese.a
[Portuguese 219br. Major Poems of the Portuguese Language II]
Catalog Number: 3242
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
A study of major lyrical texts of the Portuguese language, from medieval times to the present, with emphasis on poetry written in Portugal and Brazil after 1900. The approach is comparative.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Taught in Portuguese.
[Portuguese 222. Introduction to Camões]
Catalog Number: 2995
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Study of the epic and lyric poetry of Camões in the context of the European Renaissance. Special attention given to the love sonnets and to the lyrical passages of The Lusiads.
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Taught in Portuguese.
Portuguese 227. Fernando Pessoa
Catalog Number: 7375
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho
Half course (fall term). W., 3–5. EXAM GROUP: 8, 9
Study of the works of Portugal’s most distinguished literary figure of the 20th century as poet, critic, and prose writer, as well as his relation to the corpus of Portuguese literature.
Note: Conducted in Portuguese and English.
*Portuguese 321. Literature of Brazil: Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 5933
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho 7715 (on leave spring term)
*Portuguese 330. Direction of Doctoral Dissertations
Catalog Number: 4072
Joaquim-Francisco Coelho 7715 (on leave spring term), Luis Fernández-Cifuentes 2091, Mary Gaylord 2632, Francisco Márquez 5064, and Doris Sommer 2744
*Romance Studies 97. Tutorial—Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 1994
Virginie Greene and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of Romance Studies 97 is required of all concentrators in their sophomore year.
*Romance Studies 98. Tutorial-Junior Year
Catalog Number: 5203
Virginie Greene and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of Romance Studies 98 is required of all honors concentrators in their junior year.
*Romance Studies 99. Tutorial–Senior Year
Catalog Number: 1067
Virginie Greene and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Note: Weekly individual instruction. Successful completion of one semester of Romance Studies 99 is required of all honors concentrators. To enroll see the Undergraduate Advisor in Romance Studies.
Romance Studies 120. Emergence of the Lyric Subject in Early Romance Poetry (12th to 16th Centuries)
Catalog Number: 8861
Mary Gaylord and Virginie Greene
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., 11:30–1. EXAM GROUP: 13, 14
If “in the beginning was the Word” and if “the Word was God”, how could human subjects define themselves in words? We will discuss subjectivity as it emerges in the rich traditions of Romance vernacular poetry, first in the Iberian peninsula and Southern France, later in Northern France and Italy. Works studied include love songs, political poems, death laments, female-voiced poems, meta-poetry. Authors include Alfonso X, Guilhem de Peitieu, Contessa de Dia, Berceo, Rutebeuf, Petrarca, Christine de Pizan, Manrique, Encina, Villon, Gil Vicente, Ausias March, Garcilaso de la Vega, Labbé.
Note: Conducted in English; texts in original and translation. Meets the sophomore tutorial requirement for Romance Studies concentrators.
Prerequisite: Reading knowledge of one Romance language.
[Romance Studies 171. The Spanish Civil War, from Two Sides of the Border]
Catalog Number: 5340
Bradley S. Epps and Susan R. Suleiman
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) fired the imaginations as well as the political passions of artists and intellectuals the world over, both during the war and for decades afterward. This course will examine some of the major French and Spanish literary and artistic responses to that war, from 1936 to our own day. Discussions of works by poets, novelists, filmmakers, visual artists, including Malraux, Tzara, Eluard, Semprun, Picasso, Simon, Miró, Lorca, Cela, Rodoreda, Aub, Franco, and others.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in English.
Spanish Ax. Reading Spanish
Catalog Number: 5318
Johanna Damgaard Liander and staff
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
For students (both undergraduate and graduate) with little or no knowledge of Spanish. Aims at the rapid development of reading skills as a tool for research.
Note: Not open to auditors. May not be used to fulfill the language requirement. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
*Spanish Bab. Intensive Elementary Spanish: Special Course
Catalog Number: 5577 Enrollment: Limited to 15 students per section.
Johanna Damgaard Liander and staff
Full course (spring term). Section I: M. through F., at 9 and Tu., Th., at 10; Section II: M. through F., at 11 and Tu., Th., at 12. EXAM GROUP: 2, 4, 12
For students who have had no previous formal or informal training in Spanish. Emphasis on communication skills. Language instruction supplemented by cultural and literary readings, film, computer, and video materials.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be used to fulfill the language requirement and may not be taken Pass/Fail. Interested students must see Dr. Liander for an interview before or during fall reading period.
Prerequisite: A knowledge of at least one foreign language, preferably a modern Romance language. Not open to freshmen.
Spanish Ca. Intermediate Spanish I
Catalog Number: 5914
Nina C. de W. Ingrao and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 9; Section II: M., W., F., at 10; Section III: M., W., F., at 11; Section IV: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
For students with an elementary knowledge of Spanish who wish to improve their mastery of the language. Emphasis is placed on developing oral skills, as well as reading and writing. Carefully selected readings and related activities respond to a wide variety of interests: current events and issues as well as short stories by Cervantes, Borges, Cortázar, Rulfo, Matute, Isabel Allende. At the end of the Ca-Cb sequence the student should be able to understand lectures in Spanish, converse on everyday topics with a native speaker, read material of average difficulty and mature content, and write with acceptable style and correctness.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Open to students who have passed Spanish A, or who have a placement score of 500 on the SAT II test or on the Harvard Placement Test or 3 years of Spanish in high school, or by permission of the instructor.
Spanish Cb. Intermediate Spanish II
Catalog Number: 6874
Nina C. de W. Ingrao and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 9; Section II: M., W., F., at 10; Section III: M., W., F., at 11; Section IV: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
Emphasis on oral communication, with continued practice in reading and writing. Class discussions focus on the Hispanic culture, art, and literature. Authors include Ana María Matute, Borges, García Márquez, Don Juan Manuel, Unamuno. Special listening materials used for insight into the daily life in Spanish-speaking areas. After the Ca-Cb sequence, students should be able to understand lectures in Spanish, converse on everyday topics with a native speaker, read material of average difficulty and mature content, and write with acceptable style and correctness.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish Ca or permission of the instructor.
Spanish 27. Spanish Oral Survival Course
Catalog Number: 5358
Nina C. de W. Ingrao and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Section I: M. through F., at 9; Section II: M. through F., at 12; Section III: M. through F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
To develop individual oral fluency in Spanish, while introducing students to attitudes, values, and cultural patterns of contemporary life in Spain and Latin America. Students are provided with continual opportunities to act out typical situations they would encounter in a Spanish-speaking environment. Although oral proficiency is not a prerequisite, course is best suited to students who already have a good grounding in the grammar of the language.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: A placement score of 600-659 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
Spanish 30. Oral Expression: Temas de actualidad
Catalog Number: 0479
Nina C. de W. Ingrao and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 12; Section II: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 5, 6
Intended for students who want to learn to communicate in Spanish at a more sophisticated level. Discussions on topics of current interest are based on Spanish and Latin American films, literary selections, and the press.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Open to students who have taken Spanish 27, or by permission of the instructor.
Spanish 35. Upper-Level Spanish I: Cuatro países latinoamericanos
Catalog Number: 7127
Johanna Damgaard Liander and staff
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11; Section III: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
Designed to develop fluency and accuracy in speaking, writing, and reading through a focus on contemporary Argentina, Columbia, Peru and Guatemala. Cultural, literary and historical readings, as well as films, will be studied and discussed. A review of selected grammar is also included.
Note: Conducted entirely in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish Cb, Spanish 27, or a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
Spanish 36. Upper-Level Spanish II: Cultura urbana actual
Catalog Number: 7095
Johanna Damgaard Liander and staff
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11; Section III: M., W., F., at 1. EXAM GROUP: 10
A language/culture course which will focus on contemporary life in the large cities of Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Through newspaper articles, music, literature and film we will examine the cultural and historical aspects particular to each of these areas as well as the elements of the modern Hispanic world that they share, with the ultimate goal of consolidating students’ fluency and accuracy in speaking, writing and reading Spanish, while providing contact with the varied cultures and accents of Madrid, Barcelona, Havana, San Juan and Mexico City. Selective review of Spanish grammar, as well.
Note: Conducted entirely in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish 35, a placement score of 660 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test, or permission of the instructor.
*Spanish 41. Spanish for the Bilingual
Catalog Number: 7690
Nina C. de W. Ingrao
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 12 and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 5
For bilingual students needing practice in reading, writing, and grammar. Class discussions explore the common thread of the Hispanic culture among the people from all the Spanish speaking countries, including the Hispanics in the United States. Readings and discussions include Hispanic art and literature: Picasso, El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, Rivera, Siqueiros, Don Juan Manuel, Borges, García Márquez, Rulfo, Matute.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Spanish 42. Advanced Spanish for the Bilingual
Catalog Number: 1880
Nina C. de W. Ingrao
Half course (spring term). M., W., F., at 12 and an additional hour to be arranged. EXAM GROUP: 5
Designed for bilingual students with some formal training in Spanish grammar and writing. Aims at further developing and refining reading, writing, and oral skills in standard Spanish, including review of grammar as needed. Class discussions and written assignments are based on short stories, (Cervantes, Cortázar, Anderson Imbert, Vargas Llosa, Martí, García Márquez, Sábato, Carlos Fuentes), two short novels by Unamuno, as well as other writings covering relevant cultural issues, and films.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish 41 or permission of the instructor.
Spanish 44. Contemporary Spanish Film
Catalog Number: 5058
Johanna Damgaard Liander
Half course (spring term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 3
An advanced language/culture class that develops proficiency in all skills. Examines major films of Luis Buñuel, Carlos Saura, Pedro Almodóvar, and others in historical, political, and social context. Class discussion also focuses on interviews, reviews, screenplays, and critical articles. Frequent written assignments and a thorough review of advanced grammar when necessary.
Note: Offered in alternate years. Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish 35 or 36, or a placement score of 710 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test.
*Spanish 45. El español de los negocios
Catalog Number: 3731
Nina C. de W. Ingrao and staff
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). M., W., 1–2:30, or M., W., 2:30–4. EXAM GROUP: 6, 7
An advanced language course that aims to refine linguistic skills and develop a sophisticated style for the business, legal, and professional setting, with emphasis on vocabulary, syntax, and idiomatic usage. Attention to writing style in business letters, reports, and other documents. Participation in forming and operating a mock corporation. Discussion of articles and cultural patterns relating to business and society in Hispanic countries and in the United States. The textbook covers fundamental business concepts, but no technical background is required.
Note: Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken Pass/Fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish 36, 42, or 44, or permission of the instructor.
[Spanish 47. Latin American Cultures]
Catalog Number: 9591
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Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
An advanced language and culture course focusing on readings, films and music from different Latin American regions. Concentrates on the diversity and coexistence of ethnic traditions within national spaces, while emphasizing oral and written expressions in Spanish.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish. May not be taken pass/fail.
Prerequisite: Spanish 35 or 36, or a placement score of 710 on the SAT II test or the Harvard Placement test; or with permission of the instructor.
Spanish 48. Perspectives on Mexico
Catalog Number: 5426
Johanna Damgaard Liander
Half course (fall term). Section I: M., W., F., at 10; Section II: M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 3
An advanced language/culture class focusing on 20th-century Mexico as seen through the works of several Mexican women (Antonieta Rivas Mercado, Frida Kahlo, Elena Garro, Rosario Castellanos, Elena Poniatowska and María Novaro). Class materials will include interviews and other selections from the press, films, paintings, as well as literary and historical readings. Frequent written and oral assignments, and a thorough review of grammar, when necessary.
Note: This course is not open to native speakers of Spanish. May not be taken pass/fail. Offered in alternate years.
[Spanish 51 (formerly Spanish 50). Theory and Practice of Translation]
Catalog Number: 2331
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Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Focus on translation from English to Spanish. Analyzes the dynamic constituents of the activity of translation and tries to define the concept of “transatology.” Some of the issues to be discussed are basic operating principles of translation, types of translation, technical procedures, and the theory of segmentation. Students are required to analyze existing translations as well as to translate other texts. Special attention given to literary texts.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
[Spanish 52. Problems in Spanish Composition, Syntax, and Phonetics]
Catalog Number: 4750
Luis Fernández-Cifuentes and staff
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
A study of certain difficulties and peculiarities of the Spanish language, through the examination and discussion of literary texts in terms of usage and style. Students write free compositions, in Spanish, about the texts selected or about subjects related thereto.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish.
*Spanish 53. Taller de escritura
Catalog Number: 2439
Luis Fernández-Cifuentes and staff.
Half course (fall term). M., W., 4–5:30. EXAM GROUP: 9
Aims to strengthen and develop the student’s competence in written expression. Using short novels, short stories, essays and sample texts drawn from history, philosophy, and journalism, students learn to practice different styles in creative, argumentative, and analytical writings. Special emphasis will be placed on stylistic variations, lexical nuances, and complex grammatical structures. Students’ work will be discussed in class and in private conferences.
Note: Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite: Open to students with a Harvard Placement score of 750, or by permission of the instructor. Recommended for concentrators and joint concentrators.
[Spanish 54. Advanced Oral Expression]
Catalog Number: 3964
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Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Designed for students interested in perfecting their oral Spanish in order to improve their comprehension, fluency, syntactic accuracy and pronunciation. The course’s aims are the following: to fine-tune listening comprehension; to develop linguistic skills in presenting oneself, expressing emotion, debating, negotiating, counseling, persuading, etc.; and to improve pronunciation (practice of sounds, intonation and rhythm). Authentic materials in print or on audio or video cassettes will be used as models. In addition to practical, corrective work, students will participate in a theatrical production as a final class project.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish.
Prerequisite: Open to students with a score of 750 on the Harvard Placement test or who have successfully completed a 40- or 50- level course in Spanish, or with the permission of the instructor. Recommended for concentrators and joint concentrators.
[Spanish 70a (formerly Spanish 100a). Hispanic Literature: The Middle Ages]
Catalog Number: 1587
Luis M. Girón Negrón
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Major texts and authors of Hispanic literature from the Poem of the Cid to the Celestina.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish. Required of concentrators in Spanish in their sophomore year.
Spanish 70b. Golden Age Literature
Catalog Number: 1229
Luis M. Girón Negrón
Half course (fall term). M., W., F., at 11. EXAM GROUP: 4
Introduction to the genres of poetry, drama and narrative prose (fiction and non-fiction) of Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. Close reading of representative texts with attention to the emerging literary languages of this period of national consolidation, global expansion, religious ferment, and tensions of a multicultural society. Explores themes of love, honor, identity, war, death, spirituality in works by Garcilaso, San Juan de la Cruz, Cervantes, Quevedo, Calderón, and others.
Note: Conducted in Spanish.
[Spanish 71a (formerly Spanish 101a). Spanish American Literature from the Colony to Independence]
Catalog Number: 4319
José Antonio Mazzotti
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Survey of readings from the chronicles of discovery and conquest, through several colonial classics, to the poetry and prose of Independence.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Required of concentrators in Hispanic literature and studies.
[Spanish 71b. Spanish American Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries]
Catalog Number: 6700
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Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Survey of positivist and aestheticist responses to modernization, populist fiction, poetic vanguards, and the “Boom” in contemporary narrative.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02.
[Spanish 90g. Latin Quartet: Vallejo/Huidobro, Neruda/Paz]
Catalog Number: 8744
José Antonio Mazzotti
Half course (fall term). Hours to be arranged.
Will examine the oeuvres of these four Latin American masters of the Spanish language and poetry during the 20th century. Special emphasis will be put on the dialectics between avant-garde poetics and the cultural traditions of the authors, as well as on the multiple readings that their works offer from structuralist and post-structuralist approaches.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish.
[Spanish 90h. Indigenismos]
Catalog Number: 8790
José Antonio Mazzotti
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
An examination of so-called “indigenista” literature in Latin America, from its very beginnings in the 16th century to the poetry and novels of the 20th century. How were indigenous groups and ethnic nations characterized by the first Spanish colonizers and how have these images been transformed and used as tools for the modernizing nation-building process of the past century? How have Aztecs, Incas, Mayans and their descendants been re-accommodated into Latin American “imagined communities”? And how have these native peoples managed to undermine the dominating use of the letter by incorporating their own tonalities and cultural familiarities into the national literatures of their countries? This course will answer such questions through an interdisciplinary analysis of early chronicles and the works of José Carlos Mariátegui, Agustín Villoro, Guillermo Bonfil, Jorge Icaza, José María Arguedas and others.
Note: Expected to be given in 2001–02. Conducted in Spanish.
[Spanish 90j. Lorca, Buñuel, Dalí]
Catalog Number: 0841
Bradley S. Epps
Half course (spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Examines the rise and fall of the avant-garde, and in particular surrealism, in and out of Spain, by focusing on the writings, films, and artworks of three of the most “international” Spanish artists of the 20th century. Special attention paid to questions of gender and sexuality; tradition and revolution; commercialization and experimentation; scandal and conformity; war, memory, and imagination; travel and/or exile (in Mexico, France, and the United States).
Note: Expected to be given in 2002–03. Conducted in Spanish. No prior knowledge of theory required.
*Spanish 91r. Supervised Reading and Research
Catalog Number: 1586
José Antonio Mazzotti and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Tutorial supervision of research on subjects not treated in regular courses.
*Spanish 97. Tutorial—Sophomore Year
Catalog Number: 2315
Luis Fernández-Cifuentes and members of the Department and Tutorial Board
Half course (spring term). Tu., Th., at 2.
Theory in Praxis: Critical Controversies. Reading assignments for this course will expose not only a variety of recent developments in literary criticism (as it has been practiced by prominent scholars, from Vygotsky to Barbara Johnson, on both prose and poetry) but also significant controversies that have accompanied and stimulated such development (Trilling versus Vendler on Wordsworth, Jakobson versus Riffaterre on Baudelaire, Alonso versus Spitzer on Fray Luis, etc.). Requirements include short weekly papers and regular participation in class discussions.
Note: Group tutorial. Required of all concentrators in their sophomore year, but open to others. Conducted in Spanish.
*Spanish 98. Tutorial-Junior Year
Catalog Number: 5511
José Antonio Mazzotti and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Hours to be arranged.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of Spanish 98 is required of all honors concentrators in their junior year.
*Spanish 99. Tutorial — Senior Year
Catalog Number: 5867
José Antonio Mazzotti and members of the Department and Tutorial Board.
Full course. Hours to be arranged.
Weekly individual instruction for honors seniors writing a thesis.
Note: Successful completion of one semester of Spanish 99 is required of all honors concentrators. To enroll see the Undergraduate Advisor in Spanish.
Spanish 111. Love Lyrics of the Hispanic Tradition
Catalog Number: 3338 Enrollment: Limited to 15.
Mary Gaylord
Half course (fall term). Tu., Th., 2–3:30. EXAM GROUP: 16, 17
Major love poems of the Spanish language from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Close reading informed by issues such as changing definitions of love, gender roles, social and racial politics, tensions with the claims of honor and war, the metaphysics of love, the language of emotion. Authors include Garcilaso de la Vega, San Juan de la Cruz, Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Góngora, Quevedo, Sor Juana, Bécquer, Machado, Lorca, Salinas, Neruda.
Note: Given in Spanish.