SPAN 497 Don Juan: The Art of Spanish Seduction

This course will introduce students to the myth of Don Juan, the fascinating and controversial Spanish seducer who is also a symbol of rebellion against moral, social, and religious norms. We will first explore the “origin story” and the fundamental characteristics that defined Don Juan in the Golden Age theatre play in which he was born: El burlador de Sevilla, which has disputed authorship. Then we will study how the romantic period received and adapted this character in two fundamental pieces of Spanish literature: Don Juan Tenorio by José Zorrilla and El estudiante de Salamanca by José de Espronceda. In the second part of the course, we will focus on twentieth-century comedic reinterpretations of Don Juan in three of the funniest Spanish plays ever written: La venganza de Don Mendo, by Pedro Muñoz Seca, Usted tiene ojos de mujer fatal, and Angelina o el honor de un brigadier, by Enrique Jardiel Poncela. Through laughter and insightful jokes, these authors emphasized the obsolescence of the womanizer masculine archetype at a time when women were becoming aware of their new role in modern societies. We will also watch and discuss movies based upon these plays and the figure on Don Juan.