Icons and Myths of the Hispanic World

This module, which is taught and assessed in English, is open to students taking Spanish Language 2A or Spanish Language 2B, and offers a panoramic overview of the formation and development of some of the most characteristic and distinctive icons and myths of the Spanish-speaking world. The module builds to an understanding of how Hispanic identities are forged and perceived (both internally and externally) by comparing cultural representations of iconic historical and literary figures. Students will be invited to appreciate the ways in which the natures and identities of specific icons and myths mutate as they develop in time and space, in so doing producing a series of multiple representations that remain linked, nonetheless, by the presence of common denominators. They will also be invited to question the icons themselves and to think about what their constructions exclude or leave unsaid. The course will cover iconic historical figures and their artistic (de-)mythification, as well as powerful cultural icons that shape people's understanding of specific cultures.

Further details of pre-requisites, co-requisites, aims, contact hours and assessment.