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SPAN20350

Academic Year 2026/2027

The Spanish Avant-Garde (SPAN20350)

Subject:
Spanish
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Tara Plunkett
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will introduce students to key figures of the twentieth-century Spanish avant-garde including Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Maruja Mallo, and Carmen Conde. Focusing on questions of identity, students will discover how avant-garde aesthetic principles influenced by Cubism, Surrealism, and the 'Escuela de Vallecas' enabled the artists to experiment in image and text. We will discuss how this lively exchange came about as the result of friendships forged at university which changed the face of Spanish culture and gave birth to the '1927 Generation'. Particular attention will be paid to the inextricable links between visual art and poetry, the role of religious imagery in Spanish cultural production, and the role of women in the avant-garde circles of early twentieth-century Spain. This module is intended for students of Spanish and is appropriate for those with no background in poetry or visual art.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this module students will be able to:
-Define the term 'avant-garde' and discuss its cultural relevance in twentieth-century Spain;
-Provide a detailed critical analysis of selected works of Spanish poetry;
-Provide a detailed critical analysis of selected drawings and paintings;
-Provide an informed discussion on the relationship between painting and poetry by selected artists.

Indicative Module Content:

Students will analyse a selection of images and texts including images by Salvador Dalí, Federico García Lorca, and Maruja Mallo, and selected poems from Federico García Lorca's 'Poeta en Nueva York' (1929-30), Rafael Alberti's 'Sobre los ángeles' (1927-28) and 'Sermones y moradas' (1929-30), and Carmen Conde's 'Mujer sin Edén' (1947).

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Lectures

22
Total

122

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lecture/seminar hybrid with students participating in the active analysis of paintings and poetry.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): In-class critical analysis task. Students will be able to choose between analysing a painting or a poem. Week 7 Graded No
40
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Students can choose between a 1,500 word comparative essay on the works of two artists or a creative response and a 1,000 word reflection. Week 14 Graded No
60
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive class feedback on critical analysis tasks carried out in class and individual feedback post-assignment.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Mon 16:00 - 16:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 15:00 - 15:50
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