The Monstrous in the Early Modern Americas

Class Description

This course investigates how monsters shaped the cultural imagination of the early modern Americas (c. 1500–1800), with particular emphasis on Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean. As we explore how the figure of the monster stood at the center of debates about humanity, divinity, race, and empire, we will move through colonial chronicles describing supposed “monstrous beings,” such as mermaids, cannibals, and giants. We will focus especially on early travel narratives, missionary accounts, and visual materials to understand how foreigners constructed the New World as a space of marvels and horrors. By the end of the course, students will understand monstrosity as a powerful tool in the cultural, theological, and political struggles that shaped the early modern Atlantic world.

All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.

Elvira Blanco is the Associate Director of the Hispanic Institute at Columbia University and Managing Editor of Revista Hispánica Moderna. She teaches writing and literature at The New School and the Bard Microcollege in Harlem, New York City. She holds a PhD. in Latin American and Iberian Cultures from Columbia University.

What to Expect

Format: Virtual

Class Capacity: 18

Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged

Materials List

Required

• Instructor-Distributed Materials

First Assignment (sent by the instructor about one week before class)

• Before the first class, please read Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, “Monster Culture (Seven Theses)" and the selection from Columbus's letters.

A Brief Syllabus

1. The “Monstrous Races”
2. Mermaids, Sea Monsters, and the Colonial Imagination
3. Demonology and the Colonial Supernatural

Cost and Registration

3 Sessions, $135 ($121.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($135), Community Supported ($125), and Sponsor ($145). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.

The views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.

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