European Studies 340 - Spanish Civil War

[RC] (Offered as SPAN 340 and EUST 340.) The Spanish Civil War lasted only three years, from 1936 to 1939, yet the conflict cast a long shadow over Spain's twentieth-century history, culture and identity.  Indeed, the war's effects were felt worldwide, and it became the inspiration for works of art and literature as varied as Pablo Picasso's Guernica, Pablo Neruda's España en el corazón, Guillermo del Toro's El laberinto del fauno and Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls.  This course will provide an introduction to the discord and violence of the war as well as to the anguish and catharsis of the stories, poems and films it inspired.  Through primary sources and historical accounts, we will understand the causes of this fraternal war.  By studying texts and films that track the reverberations of the Spanish Civil War in the United States, Latin America and Continental Europe, we will seek to understand how and why this historical moment has captivated artists and writers.  In addition, we will grapple with the diverse ways that lingering memories of the war have affected modern-day Spanish politics and culture.  Although readings will be in English and Spanish, this course will be conducted in Spanish.Requisite:  SPAN 199, 211, 212 or consent of the instructor.  Fall semester.  Professor Brenneis.