HSLS 353 Mexico City: A Stage for Multicultural Encounters
Long before it was nicknamed the "City of Palaces" in the 18th century, Mexico City was first known as Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Mexica-Aztec Empire, which was founded in 1325. With the arrival of the Spaniards led by Hernan Cortes in 1519, the city underwent a historical transformation from its pre-Hispanic splendor to become one of the largest, richest, and ethnically diverse urban centers in the Americas. This interdisciplinary course provides an introduction to the history and culture of Mexico City, in general, and an in-depth study of literary texts written about the city, in particular. We will analyze texts such as the pre-Hispanic poems known as Cantares Mexicanos, the chronicles that recorded the conquest of Mexico, the Nican Mopohua (first nahuat account of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe), the poetry and prose of baroque poet Sor Juana InÈs de la Cruz, and works by modern authors such as Carlos Fuentes, Elena Poniatowska, Rosario Castellanos, and Nobel Laureate Octavio Paz. Can substitute for one course in the Honors Humanities Track.
Prerequisite
Open only to students in the University Honors Program