Discourses of empire : counter-epic literature in early modern Spain / Barbara Simerka.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Simerka, Barbara, 1957-

Series:

Penn State studies in Romance literatures

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Historical drama, Spanish--History and criticism.

Historical drama, Spanish.

Spanish drama--Classical period, 1500-1700--History and criticism.

Spanish drama.

Imperialism in literature.

Physical Description:

viii, 224 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

University Park, Pa. : Pennsylvania State University Press, [2003]

Summary:

The counter-epic is a literary style that developed in reaction to imperialist epic conventions as a means of scrutinizing the consequences of foreign conquest of dominated peoples. It also functioned as a transitional literary form, a bridge between epic narratives of military heroics and novelistic narratives of commercial success. In Discourses of Empire, Barbara Simerka examines the representation of militant Christian imperialism in early modern Spanish literature by focusing on this counter-epic discourse.

Simerka is drawn to literary texts that questioned or challenged the imperial project of the Hapsburg monarchy in northern Europe and the New World. She notes the variety of critical ideas across the spectrum of diplomatic, juridical, economic, theological, philosophical, and literary writings, and she argues that the presence of such competing discourses challenges the frequent assumption of a univocal, hegemonic culture in Spain during the imperial period. Simerka is especially alert to the ways in which different discourses -- hegemonic, residual, emergent -- coexist and compete simultaneously in the mediation of power.

Discourses of Empire offers fresh insight into the political and intellectual conditions of Hapsburg imperialism and illuminates some rarely examined literary genres, such as burlesque epics, history plays, and indiano drama. Indeed, a special feature of the book is a chapter devoted specifically to indiano literature. Simerka's thorough working knowledge of contemporary literary theory and her inclusion of American. English, and French texts as points of comparison contribute much to current studies of Spanish Golden Age literature.

Contents:

Toward a materialist poetics of counter-epic literature

"So that the rulers might sleep without bad dreams" : imperial ideology and practices

Liminal identity and polyphonic ideology in indiano drama

The early modern history play as counter-epic mode : Cervantes's La destrucción de Numancia and Lope de Vega's Arauco domado

The novelistic history play : Rojas Zorrilla's Numancia diptych and González de Bustos's Los españoles en Chile

"War and lechery" : La gatomaquia and the burlesque epic.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 203-216) and index.

ISBN:

0271022825

OCLC:

52091887