The Darkening of the Other: Demarcating Difference in Cantar de Roldan, Cartas marruecas, and La reina del sur

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the research of various historical and literary theorists in relation to identification of Otherness in three Spanish works: Cantar de Roldán, Cartas marruecas, and La reina del sur. Throughout the thesis, I analyze hwo the discourse of identification of Otherness has progressed throughout these three works. Each work was chosen as a cultural artifact of its time. I begin the thesis with Cantar de Roldán and analyze how variation in faith served as primary demarcation of Otherness. I then analyze Cartas marruecas and how race also becomes an identifier of Otherness; I end the thesis analyzing La reina del sur and the role of racial discourse as the primary identifier of Otherness.