Literature, pop culture, translation: comparative studies as an interpretative strategy

B.Sc. seminars

The seminar will be devoted to literary and cultural comparative studies. The main objective is to introduce students to the methodology and basic premises of modern comparative analysis and to prepare them for writing a dissertation in the field of literary or cultural studies.

The main aim of the seminar is to introduce participants to the fundamental premises of modern comparative literary and cultural studies, and to develop critical thinking in the area of literary analysis. The American school in comparative literature opens up the field of research between structurally corresponding though distinct issues or trends. Juxtaposition of selected Polish and Hispanic cultural texts often unrelated to each other, should lead to closer readings and to dialogical exchange between the linguistic spheres under investigation. Using analytical tools designed for comparative studies, students will carry out an analysis of various texts and prepare a dissertation in the field of literary or cultural studies.

Detail subject matter of classes:

1. Introduction:

1.1 Edward Kasperski, “O teorii komparatystyki”, in: Literatura. Teoria. Metodologia, D. Ulicka (ed.), pp. 331 – 356; Stanley Fish, “¿Hay algún texto en esta clase?”, in: Palti, Elías José (comp.): Giro lingüístico e historia intelectual, Buenos Aires, Quilmes, 1998.

1.2 The basics of academic discourse. Methodology for dissertation writing.

2. Rhythms of comparison:

2.1 Luis Cernuda's “Hierro, hierro” and Julian Tuwim’s “The Locomotive”(Generation ’27 and the Skamander Group).

2.2 A time of bards: Paco Ibañez and Jacek Kaczmarski.

2.3 The geometry of metaphysical experience in Borges’ short story “The Aleph” and in Herbert’s poem “Mr. Cogito Tells of the Temptation of Spinoza”.

2.4 Metaphysics and folk culture: Federico García Lorca and Bolesław Leśmian.

3. Interdisciplinary and dialogical aspects of comparative studies:

3.1 The fairy tale and multiculturalism: Snow White (2012), directed by Pablo Berger.

3.2 Adaptation and interpretation: Blood Wedding (1981), directed by Carlos Saura; La novia (2015), directed by Paula Ortiz.

3.3 Different worlds: science-fiction tales (Francisco García Pavón, “El mundo transparente” (1967) and Stanisław Lem (1989), “The benefit of dragon”).

3.4 Two congresses: The Literary Conference by César Aira and The Futurological Congress by Stanisław Lem.

4. Comparative studies and theory of literature:

4.1 Morphology of the fairy tale: “Sleeping Beauty” by Quim Monzó and “Sleeping Beauty” by Sławomir Mrożek.

4.2 Nivola as a deviation from the novel: Mist by Miguel Unamuno and Ferdydurke by Witold Gombrowicz.

4.3 Narrative identity: Cinco horas con Mario by Miguel Delibes and A Treatise on Shelling Beans by Wiesław Myśliwski.

5. Intertextuality and translation:

5.1 Teresa Soto; a Spanish Wisława (“Un poemario”).

5.2 Polish poetry translated into Spanish (Zbigniew Herbert, Wisława Szymborska, Adam Zagajewski).

Bibliography:

Aira, César, El congreso de literatura, Barcelona, Tusquets, 1997.

Blancanieves, Pablo Berger (2012).

Bodas de sangre, Carlos Saura (1981).

Borges, Jorge Luis, Obras completas, Buenos Aires, Emecé, 1974.

Delibes, Miguel, Cinco horas con Mario, Barcelona, Destino, 2009.

Federico García Lorca, Romancero gitano, Granada, Comares, 1998.

García Pavón, Francisco, La guerra de dos mil años, Barcelona, Destino, 1967.

Gombrowicz, Witold, Ferdydurke, Barcelona, Seix Barral, 2010.

Herbert, Zbigniew, 89 wierszy, Kraków, Wydawnictwo a5, 1998.

Herbert, Zbigniew, Poesía completa (Xaverio Ballester (trans.)), Barcelona, Lumen, 2012.

La novia, Paula Ortiz (2015).

Lem, Stanisław, Kongres futurologiczny. Opowiadania Ijona Tichego. Dzieła, vol.2, Warszawa, Biblioteka Gazety Wyborczej, 2008.

Leśmian, Bolesław, Poezje wybrane, Wrocław, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1983.

Mrożek, Sławomir, Opowiadania, vol. 3, Warszawa, Noir sur Blanc, 1999.

Myśliwski, Wiesław, Traktat o łuskaniu fasoli, Kraków, Znak, 2007.

Quim Monzó, El porqué de las cosas, Barcelona, Anagrama, 2005.

Soto, Teresa, Un poemario, Madrid, Rialp, 2008.

Szymborska, Wisława, Instante (Gerardo Beltrán, Abel Murcia Soriano, trans.), Tarragona, Igitur, 2011.

Unamuno, Miguel, Niebla, Mario J. Valdés (ed.), Madrid, Cátedra, 1996.

Theoretical texts:

Bassnet, Susan, “¿Qué significa la literatura comparada hoy?”, in: Orientaciones en literatura comparada, Dolores Romero López (ed.), Madrid, Arco Libros, 1998, pp. 87 – 101.

Bilczewski, Tomasz, Komparatystyka i interpretacja. Nowoczesne badania porównawcze wobec translatologii, Kraków, Universitas, 2010.

Culler, Jonathan, “Literatura comparada y teoría de la literatura”, in: Orientaciones en literatura comparada, Dolores Romero López (ed.), Madrid, Arco Libros, 1998, pp. 105 – 124.

Étiemble, René “Porównanie to jeszcze nie dowód. Przedmiot, metody, programy”, Wanda Błońska (trans.), “Pamiętnik Literacki”, LIX, vol. 3 – 4, 1969, pp. 311 – 332;

Fish, Stanley, “¿Hay algún texto en esta clase?”, in: Palti, Elías José (comp.): Giro lingüístico e historia intelectual, Buenos Aires, Quilmes, 1998.

Foucault, Michel, “Prefacio”, in: idem, Las palabras y las cosas, Buenos Aires, Siglo XXI, 1968, pp. 1 – 10; “La prosa del mundo”, in: idem, Las palabras y las cosas, Buenos Aires, Siglo XXI, 1968, pp. 26 – 52.

Friedrich, Hugo, Struktura nowoczesnej liryki. Od połowy XIX do połowy XX wieku, Elżbieta Felisiak (trans.), Warszawa, PIW, 1978.

Guillén, Claudio, “Lo local y lo universal”, in: idem, Entre lo uno y lo diverso, Barcelona, Editorial Crítica, pp. 17 – 24; „Lo uno y lo diverso”, in: idem, Entre lo uno y lo diverso, Barcelona, Editorial Crítica, 1985, pp. 25 – 37.

Hejmej, Andrzej, Komparatystyka. Studia literackie - studia kulturowe, Kraków, Universitas, 2013.

Kasperski, Edward, “O teorii komparatystyki”, in: Literatura. Teoria. Metodologia, D. Ulicka (ed.), Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Wydziału Polonistyki UW, 1998, pp. 331 – 356.

Nycz, Ryszard, “Intertekstualność i jej zakresy: teksty, gatunki, światy” in: idem, Tekstowy świat: poststrukturalizm a wiedza o literaturze, Warszawa, Wydawnictwo Badań Literackich PAN, 1993, pp. 78 – 109.

Remak, H. H. Herman,“La literatura comparada: definición y función” in: M. J. Vega y N. Carbonell (ed.), La literatura comparada: principios y métodos, Madrid, Gredos, 1998, pp.89 – 99. [“Literatura porównawcza jej definicja i funkcje”, in: Antologia zagranicznej komparatystyki literackiej, Janaszek–Ivaničková (ed.), Warszawa, Instytut Kultury, 1997, pp. 25 – 36.]

Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty, Muerte de una disciplina, Santiago de Chile, Palinodia, 2009.

Wellek, René, “La crisis de la literatura comparada” (1958), in: Conceptos de crítica literaria, Universidad de Venezuela, Caracas, 1968, pp. 211 – 220; [“Kryzys literatury porównawczej”, Zdzisław Łapiński (trans.), in: “Pamiętnik Literacki”, vol. 3, 1968, pp. 269 – 279.]

Teaching effects:

Knowledge:

Students will acquire a rudimentary knowledge of the history and methodology of literary and cultural comparative studies, as well as of selected trends in literary theory (structuralism, hermeneutics, pragmatism, post-colonialism). They will also possess a basic knowledge of Polish and Hispanic literary texts and other cultural texts (film, song), and will be able to place them within a wider literary and cultural context, as well as to subject them to comparative analysis. K_W01, K_W02, K_W03, K_W04, K_W05, K_W09

Skills:

Students will be able to prepare an original dissertation. They will develop basic research skills embracing the formulation and analysis of investigative issues, choice of method and analytical tools, and elaboration and presentation of their research results in the field of literary or cultural studies.

Students will be capable of employing academic disourse. They will select, analyse and evaluate information, including the opinions of other authors, as well as apply appropriate argumentation. Analyses of literary works and interpretations of other cultural texts will be carried out in full awareness of their multidimensional character. In addition, students will be able to build up their knowledge and develop their research skills independently, under the guidance of their tutor. K_U01, K_U02, K_U03, K_U04, K_U05, K_U08, K_U010

Social skills:

Students will acquire the ability to listen carefully to other participants, and to take an active part in discussion themselves. They will also be able to select and organize information, and to systematize and critically assess the knowledge they acquire. K_K01, K_K03

Teaching methods:

• Flipped classroom

• Presentation

• Discussion

• Introductory lecture

Assessment criteria:

Assessment will be based on attendance (there are 2 absences allowed) and active participation in classes. In the second semester students will be presenting specific topics, and summaries and extracts from their dissertations. Ultimately, assessment for the seminar will depend on handing in a completed dissertation on or before the deadline. Details concerning assessment and deadlines will be given during classes.