Explore why the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the 20th century’s leading writers in this free online course. Gabriel García Márquez is a Colombian writer, who won the Literature Nobel Prize in 1982. He has been recognised as one of the world’s leading writers in the second half of the 20th century. His works have been translated into many languages, been adapted for TV and film, and inspired many subsequent works of art.
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Explore five works set in the fictional village of Macondo
The main goal of this course is to explore the literary contributions of Gabriel García Márquez to world literature, through his first five works. These are set in (or near) the fictional village of Macondo - a town inspired by the author’s birthplace, Aracataca. We will study:
- Leaf Storm - La Hojarasca
- No One Writes to the Colonel - El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba
- In Evil Hour - La Mala Hora
- Big Mama’s Funeral - Los Funerales de la Mamá Grande
- One Hundred Years of Solitude - Cien Años De Soledad
Starting from a close reading of the texts, we will study different narrative dimensions such as:
- the author’s life in relation to his oeuvre;
- the idiosyncratic use of language;
- and the role of time and space in Garcia Marquez’s poetics.
You will discover why he won international fame with 100 Years of Solitude, which remains a classic today.
Learn with Gabriel García Márquez experts from Bogotá, Colombia
Your guides for this course are experts in analysing the works of Gabriel García Márquez, from the Department of Literature at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.
The department trains writers, editors and teachers, and will bring you a unique perspective from Gabriel García Márquez’s native land.
What topics will you cover?
Week 1: Leaf Storm
Course Introduction
Introduction to Leaf Storm
A brief look at the author´s life
Language and structure
Space and its functions
The multiple dimensions of time
Closing
Week 2: No One Writes to the Colonel
Introduction to No one writes to the Colonel
A brief look at the author´s life
Language and structure
Space and its functions
The multiple dimensions of time
Closing
Week 3: Big Mama´s Funeral
Introduction to Big Mama´s Funeral
A brief look at the author´s life
Language and structure
Space and its functions
The multiple dimensions of time
Closing
Week 4: In Evil Hour
Introduction to In Evil Hour
A brief look at the author´s life
Language and structure
Space and its functions
The multiple dimensions of time
Closing
Week 5: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part I
Introduction to One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part I
Presentation of the book
Analysis of the title
Analysis of the first chapter
Analysis of the characters
The female characters
The figure of the hero
The character-reader
Week 6: One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part II
Introduction to One Hundred Years of Solitude: Part II
Cycle 1: Mythical Time 1
Cycle 2: Historical Time 1
Cycle 3: Historical Time 2
Cycle 4: Mythical Time 2
Closing
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...
- Develop higher appreciation of Gabriel García Marquez’ work
- Explore how his literary production has evolved over time
- Compare and relate his literary works
- Identify and recognize the principal traits that characterize his work
- Discuss the connections between García Marquez' work and other literary texts
- Reflect on the language use, characters and spatio-temporal dimension
