This thesis will take a closer look at the relatively new and multifaceted concept of Lusophony. It begins with a brief introduction to Portuguese colonial history and postcolonial development with a focus on the connection between Portuguese national identity, the colonial empire and today's Lusophone world. Subsequently, this thesis will present various conceptions of the colonial empire and the panorama of the transformations of colonial and anti-colonialist narratives through which Portuguese colonization and decolonization were justified. Among other things, this thesis aims to explore the topic of Lusophony in historical contexts, to examine the circumstances of this idea's origin and its development in Portugal, and, finally, to present some conceptualizations in the current academic context. Lastly, the main problems that Lusophony struggles with in the postcolonial context will be considered, specifically its relationship with the colonial past(s). Key-words: Lusophony, Post-Colonialism, Portuguese speaking community, Identity, Lusophone culture, Portuguese language

The great literary movements affected Spanish drama less than that of any other country, though romanticism drew the public and stage closer. Realism and naturalism were slow in developing due to the "manifest incompatibility existing between the very spirit of the French realists and the Spanish national dramatic ideals."2 Spanish national drama deals in elemental passions, is poetic in situations, and magnificently conventional in tone; while its literary form is more important than its dramatic structure.2 French literature contains fine and subtle psychology, witty and ingenious, but is sometimes a little unsubstantial. Not universal theme but complex and involved feelings are characteristic. Spain has been slow to appreciate the modern French realistic play; indeed she has never adopted it in its original form. Attempts to imitate Ibsen3 and the foreign symbolism of Maeterlinck have been unsuccessful. The modern movement in the theatre starts at the end of the nineteenth century. Of all the writers the man most responsible for introducing modern drama, as we understand it in Europe, was Jacinto Benavente. No consideration of the modern theatre would be complete without a discussion of this interesting and brilliant dramatist. Wherever reforms have been accomplished, wherever barriers have been broken down, wherever new paths have been formed, he has been the leader.1 He is generally considered the greatest living dramatist in Spain, and worthy to rank with the best in any country. Of all the realistic dramatist of our time none is more realistic than Benavente. New ideals of literature and art, the method of the modern dramatist, more refined, more serious in aim than of old -- these are some of his contributions to modern drama. He has reacted on the drama and compelled it to change its traditional conventions for modern stage technique. Benavente is to be the master builder of modern Spanish drama; at the same time he mirrors the society of his time, its virtues and vices.

A tese apresenta uma leitura aprofundada do poema “O Navio Negreiro”, de Castro Alves, valorizando os ricos aspectos imagéticos, narrativos e sonoros presentes na obra, assim como trazendo à luz o caráter holográfico de sua estrutura. Estudam-se as metáforas empregadas, as mudanças na atitude e no posicionamento geográfico do eu-lírico, bem como os recursos estilísticos que propiciam o encantamento do falar em voz alta característico do poema, no contexto de sua organicidade. This thesis presents an in-depth reading of the poem “O Navio Negreiro,” written by Castro Alves. It analyzes the complex metaphors, narrative strategies and sound effects employed by the romantic poet, as well as the holographic aspect of the general structure. “O Navio Negreiro” is thus studied in the context of its organicity, taking into consideration the rich imagery, the multiple changes – both interior and exterior – which occur in the lyric-voice, and the manipulation of sounds, which leads to the fascinating stylistic effects that allow for the magic enchantment produced by the reading of the verses aloud.

First published in 1989 in Spanish and then in 1992 in English, Laura Esquivel's Like Water for Chocolate is one of the best known Mexican literary works in the United States. Set against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution, Esquivel's novel has inspired great diversity of critical analysis among critics and scholars. Based on the author's comment regarding her intention to tell entertaining stories, critic Jay Corwin warns against the search for hidden layers to her work. Using as a framework Barthes's notion of the "death of the author" as well as cultural theory's argument that "discourse writes through the author", this work unfolds a diverse array of discourses, such as that of feminism, patriarchy, and parody, that liberate Like Water for Chocolate from the despotism of a single authority controlling the truth of the text and show that the readers are capable of intervening in the work's meaning.

This thesis project for a Master of Arts in Spanish Pedagogy consists of a four-week, ten-lesson unit on culture in the family. This unit is designed for a middle school Spanish I class and is intended to supplement Chapter 5 in the Realidades textbook in the cultural aspect of learning a foreign language. The intention is to engage students to consider cultural perspectives, or the “why” cultures do what they do. The lesson plans from the unit are based on backward design and are structured around essential questions including, “What constitutes an ideal family?” An emphasis is placed on cultural perspectives of individual families while incorporating the five C's of the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. An analysis of student learning and outcomes are provided in the final chapter. Supplementary lesson plans and evidentiary student work, photos and videos are included as appendices.

This study was designed to further the development of an instrument for use in investigating the ideas or beliefs that Spanish language teachers possess about the teaching of a foreign language. It was also the intent of the study to survey Spanish language teachers and use their responses as an aid in the development of the instrument. A questionnaire detailing possible teacher behaviors was sent out to 220 Spanish language secondary school teachers in the state of Utah. Three teacher orientations emerged and were significantly related to gender and years of teaching experience. Seven questions from the questionnaire emerged as the most effective in identifying teacher orientations. Findings showed that teachers with more years of experience tended toward a more traditional teaching approach. Interestingly, this group included all female participants. Male, novice teachers, however, were more likely to embrace amore progressive approach to teaching. Findings from this study contribute new and helpful information in this uncharted area of language education. However, it also uncovers a need for continued research.

In the past, the study of film adapted from literature has focused largely on the question of fidelity. This thesis explores new ways to look at the relationship between literature and film by showing how concepts from the field of translation studies, particularly literary translation, can enrich the study of adaptation theory. An application is made to the case of Spanish novelist Juan Marsé’s work El embrujo de Shanghai, which has been adapted to film by Fernando Trueba and to screenplay by Victor Érice. Rather than taking a hierarchical approach to the novel and its two variations, a comparative approach is used that seeks to understand the unique choices of each director and how his vision can illuminate the source novel. An adaptation of a novel does not diminish its source; instead, it opens up a space for dialogue between the two works, thus enriching the world of both literature and film.

Spanish writer Miguel de Unamuno's short fiction is neglected in both the academic and nonacademic communities, and it is especially underrepresented in English-language translation. This thesis constitutes a comprehensive approach to four short stories: "El que se enterró," "La manchita de la uña," "Mecanópolis," and "Batracófilos y batracófobos." A detailed exploration of thematic resonances among them, and between these and other works by Unamuno, precedes side-by-side translations of all four texts, of which only "Mecanópolis" has been previously published in English translation.

Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo (ruled 1930-1961) developed the reputation as one of the most violent and oppressive leaders of the Western Hemisphere in his thirty-one years of power. Authors Julia Alvarez and Mario Vargas Llosa provide insight into the effects of Trujillo's infamy by sharing the stories of Dominican women. In Alvarez's novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, the Dominican-American author fictionalizes the lives of the Mirabal sisters, historical women who were assassinated in 1961 for their involvement in the anti-Trujillo movement. Likewise, Vargas Llosa centers much of his novel, La fiesta del Chivo, on the life of Urania Cabral, a fictional female character who is raped by Trujillo at the age of fourteen. Both the Mirabals and Urania grow up amidst dictatorship and Alvarez and Vargas Llosa frequently focus on their characters' growth as they progress from childhood and adolescence into adulthood. This formative time in the protagonists' lives is often impacted by Trujillo and his actions. In particular, Alvarez and Vargas Llosa emphasize the unique process of female identity formation as a means of highlighting the cruelty of the Trujillo dictatorship. Female development is often described as a process that focuses on connection and relationships to others. As a result, women often demonstrate a high ability to respond to the needs and feelings of the people in their lives. Alvarez's depiction of the Mirabal sisters reflects these principles as her characters mature into strong women by learning the value of selflessly caring for others. The Mirabals' concern for people contrasts to Trujillo's character, which Alvarez portrays as violent, selfish and petty. Conversely, Vargas Llosa's protagonist experiences a traumatic event at the age of fourteen that severely inhibits her growth. As a result of Trujillo's cruelty Urania loses her ability to connect with others and becomes cold and distant. Urania's developmental obstacles reflect the debilitating effects dictatorship can have on individuals, and by extension, on a whole nation. In both In the Time of the Butterflies and La fiesta del Chivo the concept of female development shapes and informs the portrayal of Rafael Trujillo and his corrupt government.

Following the bloody Revolution of 1910-1917, Mexican leaders took a great interest in rebuilding their devastated, war-torn country. In an attempt to further national unity, the post-Revolutionary regime sought to construct a unified, national identity. Many officials, such as José Vasconcelos, Mexico's first Secretario de Educación, viewed education as one of the keys to redeeming the nation. These government officials, empowered by their ideals and their sense of civic duty, worked to extend educational benefits to even the most overlooked segments of Mexican society. This thesis will examine two fictional texts that consider these efforts to transform and unify the nation through education in the post-Revolutionary years. Emilio "El Indio" Fernández's film, Río Escondido (1947), and Rosario Castellanos's novel, Balún Canán (1957), document the results of this federal intervention on behalf of its citizens in frontier towns far from the nation's capital. Nonetheless, Fernández and Castellanos provide very different appraisals of Mexico's post-Revolutionary education agenda. I view Río Escondido as official discourse because it lauds the national government initiatives to extend learning to all Mexicans and suggests that education will redeem the Mexican people. In Balún Canán, on the other hand, those in power utilize the education system to maintain control in society. Thus the novel criticizes failures within federal policies to provide education to less privileged sections of society. Despite their differences, both texts speak to a reality that Mexico dealt with during the mid-twentieth century when it attempted to solve its problems through education.