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The earliest form of popular culture, public commercial theatre appeared and flourished in early modern Spain and Latin America in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The extraordinary success and popularity of these plays means that over ten thousand survive from the period, offering a fascinating insight into the Global Hispanic world, its concerns and tensions; reflecting on love, sex, gender, power, race, class and politics. Golden Age drama abounds with comic, tragic, satirical, absurd, subversive, and critical stories.Ìý

In this iteration, the course is animated by an interest in gender and sexuality, exploring Trans Studies approaches to the plays. The figure of the ‘mujer vestida de hombre’ was a stock device of the theatre but beyond this are a number of protagonists who do not inhabit their birth gender with both male/female-presenting trans characters. Any discussion of gender and sexuality in the early modern period must also address class and power. Transgressive sexuality and the subversive possibilities of their critiques of the status quo make these plays a revelation about the period and a challenge to our own times. Taking our cue from this, our study will examine how our own concerns with diversity are challenged and reflected by these thrilling stories.Ìý

One purpose of the course is to demonstrate how urgent these plays, and their reconsiderations, are for us. They have the potential to recast our understanding of history and so of ourselves. To bring this to life, a practice-based element is a core part of the course; a group project in which students translate, produce, direct, and perform short scenes of their own choosing from the plays and reflect on this process. Thinking about performance, how these dramas can be brought back to life in the 21st century will take us to the heart of what makes the comedia such an endlessly rich and fascinating form.Ìý

Aims and Learning Outcomes:Ìý

The module is delivered through two-hour seminar, alongside performance workshops, interactive discussion, presentations and peer critique. In preparation for each session, please read the set play and consult the bibliography for further reading.Ìý

By the end of the module, you should be able to:Ìý

1. Understand the conventions, form and critical analysis of early modern Spanish dramaÌý

2. Demonstrate knowledge of the ³¦´Ç³¾±ð»å¾±²¹Ìý

3. Research using a range of electronic, written and historic resources to understand and analyse the complexity of early modern Spanish literary texts (versification, standard tropes and imagery) and discourses (astrological, medical, political, erotic) confronting the difficulties of historiographical understanding through translationÌý

4. Appreciate the importance of performance studies approaches to historical drama and the complexities of bringing it to life for contemporary audiencesÌý

5. Write for a broad range of audiences, including high-level academic researchÌý

6. Display presentation skills, creativity and critical thinkingÌý

7. Engage in practice-based work from performing and translating to group-workingÌý

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Reading:Ìý

PlaysÌý

Guillén de Castro, La fuerza de la costumbreÌý

Luis Vélez de Guevara, La serrana de la VeraÌý

Juan Pérez de Montalbán, La monja AlférezÌý

Ana Caro de Mallén, Valor, agravio, mujerÌý

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Recommended further reading:Ìý

Barbara Fuchs, ed, and G. J. Racz, trans, The Golden Age of Spanish Drama, Norton Critical Editions (W. W. Norton, 2018)Ìý

Hilaire Kallendorf, ed, A Companion to Early Modern Hispanic Theatre (Brill, 2015)Ìý

Melveena McKendrick, Theatre in Spain, 1490 – 1700 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989) Jonathan Thacker, A Companion to Golden-Age Drama (London: Tamesis, 2007)Ìý