Although sometimes dismissed as mere escapism, fantastic and gothic narrative can also be read as an exposure of what lies beneath the surface, revealing social, cultural and artistic anxieties. This course will introduce students to the study of fantastic and gothic elements in Peninsular Spanish literature of the 19th century through the present day. An introduction to theories and critical assessments of the fantastic and gothic in literary texts will guide our readings and inform our analyses of how fantasy can challenge and subvert dominant notions of what is natural, real or normal, thereby pushing the limits of artistic and social conventions and opening new spaces for the expression of imagination and experience.
Prerequisites: SPAN 301 or 302 or 305 or 309