The Civil War of 1936-39 was the most significant event in the history of Spain in the 20thC, and one which continues to have an impact on Spain today. The political tensions which erupted during the war are clearly present in the literature of the preceding period and, since the beginning of the conflict, the war itself it has been a major theme for writers living and working in radically different contexts: during the war, under the censorship of the Franco regime, in voluntary or enforced exile, and now in a new democratic state. This module will review how political tensions were reflected in literature before the war and how the war has been represented at different times and in different contexts in the last seventy years. It will also explore theoretical questions surrounding the relationship between literature, politics and history.