• University of Los Andes logo

Reading Macondo: the Works of Gabriel García Márquez

Explore why the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the 20th century’s leading writers in this free online course

25,722 enrolled on this course

Gabriel Garcia Marquez centred in a photographic portrait
  • Duration

    6 weeks
  • Weekly study

    6 hours

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.

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 five of his first few 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.

Download video: standard or HD

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

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

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

Who is the course for?

You will need a basic ability to read and understand Gabriel García Márquez works in English.

Course videos will be in Spanish with English subtitles.

We recommend that you read each of the works before the course begins. You may find the books in your local library since any edition will do just fine.

Who will you learn with?

He studied Literature at the National University of Colombia, MA in American Literature at the Caro and Cuervo Institute and PhD in Hispanic Literature at El Colegio de México.

His studies have focused on Latin American literature of the twentieth century, mainly in the research on poetry, narrative and Mexican essay, Colombian short story, Latin American Essay.

PhD in Hispanic Literature - Duke University.

Doctor in Latin American Literature and Culture of Princeton University, MA in Latin American Literature and Culture of Princeton University, MA in American Literature at Indiana University

Who developed the course?

University of Los Andes

Uniandes is an autonomous, independent, and innovative institution that aims for academic excellence while providing rigorous critical and ethical character development.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #FLmacondo to talk about this course on social media.