BA Spanish and Portuguese

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This unit provides a cultural and historical introduction to the Lusophone world, paying particular attention to the diverse cultures that emerged from Portugal’s maritime expansion in the 15th and 16th centuries.  It focuses on foundational texts and films from across history that define cultural identities in Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa, analysing the representation of colonial and anti-colonial experiences in these works.  It also introduces students to some key literary and cultural figures in the Lusophone world. 

This course is not available as a free-choice option and can only be taken by students who are also taking SPLA52010 (Portuguese Language 1) or SPLA52020 (Portuguese Language 2). Co-requisites for post A-Level: SPLA52030 (Portuguese Language 3).

• To introduce students to the diverse cultural expression of the Lusophone world, including key writers and artists 
• To emphasise changes to the logic of Portuguese colonialism in different places and at different times 
• To provide a background for contextual study of modern colonial and postcolonial cultures 
• To afford insights into the ways in which literature worked to reinforce, resist and rewrite the dominant ideas and practices that emanated from Portuguese colonialism and Brazilian nationalism at different points in history

Below is an indicative list of texts to be studied on this unit:

Semester 1: Portugal and Lusophone Africa  

Introduction to Portuguese maritime expansion

Luís de Camões, “The Old Man of Restelo” and “The Isle of Love” from Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads)

Zezé Gamboa, O Herói (film)

Chianca de Garcia, A Aldeia da Roupa Branca (The Village with the White Clothes) (film).

Luís Bernardo Honwana, Nós Matámos o Cão-Tinhoso (We Killed Mangy Dog) (selected stories).

José Saramago, A Jangada de Pedra (The Stone Raft)

Semester 2: Brazil  

Introduction: the discovery of Brazil.  Pêro Vaz de Caminha, Letter on the Discovery of Brazil.

José de Alencar, Iracema

Oswald de Andrade, Manifesto Antropófago

Aluísio Azevedo, O Cortiço

dir. Anna Muylaert. The Second Mother

Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Como era gostoso o meu francês (How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman) (film).

Revision 

• Lecture
• Seminar
• Film screenings 

• Demonstrate knowledge of Portuguese maritime and colonial history and its legacies
• Demonstrate knowledge of the processes that led to Brazilian independence and to its post-independence search for national and cultural identity 
• Relate this knowledge to key texts and films from the Age of Discoveries to the present day 

• Develop close reading skills and the ability to contextualise historically 
• Engage with and analyse literary and cinematic texts 
• Improve reading knowledge of Portuguese 

• Communicate more effectively orally and in writing 
• Organise time efficiently and prepare work in advance 
• Present work well and use referencing systems correctly 

• Work in a team 
• Show enhanced intercultural understanding 
• Evaluate material critically 
• Work to deadlines 

Resit Assessment:

Exam

David Birmingham, A Concise History of Portugal (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993). HD.  

Boris Fausto, A Concise History of Brazil (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1999).  HD 

Prem Poddar, Rajeev S. Patke and Lars Jensen, eds. A Historical Companion to Postcolonial Literatures. Continental Europe and its Empires (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008)  

Patrick Chabal et al., A History of Postcolonial Lusophone Africa. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2002). HD