Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Arts and Humanities for Baccalaureate

Friedrich Nietzsche: 19th Century Context and Philosophy

Historical and Cultural Context

Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy emerged during the turbulent 19th century, a period defined by rapid industrialization, social upheaval, and the consolidation of European power.

Political Landscape

The political sphere witnessed the triumph of the bourgeoisie over the proletariat, especially following the revolutions of 1848. This era saw the restoration of the monarchy and the consolidation of major European states (England, Germany, France, Italy).

Significant political milestones include:

• Napoleon's death (1821)
• The American Civil War (1861–1865)
• The foundation of the International Workers' Association (First International) (1864)

Socioeconomic Conditions

Socially,...

Mercè Rodoreda's Literary Psychology

Focus on Female Protagonists and Inner Worlds

Yes, Mercè Rodoreda's literary production indeed focuses intensely on the psychology of her characters. In her novels, she performs a thorough analysis of the thoughts and feelings of her female protagonists, primarily through the use of interior monologue.

Rodoreda often recreates the world of childhood, which symbolizes happiness, in stark contrast to the adult world of her protagonists, which frequently represents suffering. Her women are often marked by adverse circumstances, disappointment, pain, and loneliness.

Symbolism in Rodoreda's Novels

Her works are rich in symbolism, often linking stages of life to specific novels:

• Aloma: Represents youth, describing

Status of Finding New Narrative Formulas

Pilar Primo (1905) represents the final attempt to adapt to the new narrative formulas that, through the lens of modernism, were imposing themselves on Catalan literature. It produces a novel with a realistic psychological edge, utilizing new techniques such as the interior monologue.

This work reflects Narcís Oller's frequent focus on dissatisfied and oppressed women within an aggressively moralistic, patriarchal society.

Naturalism and Scientific Determinism

Character conduct is often subject to laws similar to those governing physics or natural phenomena; this movement is known as Naturalism.

Émile Zola (1840–1902), a primary exponent of Naturalism, aimed to turn the novel into a scientific study....

Novecento Generation of 1914: Characteristics and Evolution

Novecentismo refers to the work of a group of authors that reached its zenith from 1914, hence the term Generation of 1914. They distanced themselves from purely human sentiment to focus on intellectual rigor and accuracy. Novecentists reacted against 19th-century literature, which they considered sentimental. They exhibited a European-facing concern for Spain, fostering a deep intellectual movement that distinguished itself from the Generation of '98.

Their language focused on refining the essence of things. The Generation of 1914 evolved through the following stages:

• Sensitive Stage

  Influenced by early Bécquer and neo-romanticism, characterized by symbolic presentation and a melancholy

Edvard Munch and Expressionism (1893)

The Scream (1893) by Edvard Munch, the Norwegian painter, is one of the most characteristic works of Expressionism. His paintings, though possessing great beauty, are disconcerting, expressing personal tragedy and the human condition. They show feelings of loneliness, helplessness, fear of death, and impotence.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Expressionism emerged in Europe. Each artist sought to interpret their inner world, distorting reality to reflect anguish. All lines seem to emanate from the open mouth in a scream, reflecting his life.

• The sky, water, and earth reflect the cadaverous inner world of the protagonist and his isolation.
• The agitation and mixing of convulsive colors express despair,

Impressionism

Impressionism was a term used by the satirical weekly Le Charivari by Louis Leroy to comment on a Monet landscape that showed the birth of the sun, and this is critical. Actually, Monet, Renoir, and Degas tried to catch nature at its tables, as they worked. The method they saw was to defend painting outdoors and not be stuck in a workshop to see the changes that the same object suffers in the light of dawn, noon, and sunset. They went to the woods on the banks of the Seine, streets, and cafes of Paris to capture images. The model would be the landscape with the glare of the sun reflected on water, leaves, or skin. They were interested in changes and progress, such as ships and steam train stations with smoke enveloped by locomotives....

Valle-Inclán's Literary Trajectory

Despite the traditional partition of Valle-Inclán's literary career into two stages—the first modern and the second grotesque—the dividing line is not clear because his evolution is not linear but recurring and simultaneous. His origins are modernists, evident since his first book and also in his Sonatas.

The Modernist Origins: The Sonatas

The four Sonatas are the sentimental and literary memory of the Marquis of Bradomín, a "Don Juan ugly, Catholic, and sentimental." They represent the best prose of Hispanic Modernism.

Stylistic Evolution and Generic Indeterminacy

This phase is followed by the cycle of the Comedia Bárbara, including Águila de blasón (Eagle Crest) and Romance de lobos (Romance of Wolves)...

T.9: Understanding Major Dramatic Genres

This classification outlines the characteristics and origins of key theatrical forms, from classical Greek drama to specific Spanish genres.

Tragedy

Originating from the cult of Dionysus in Greece, tragedy typically adheres to the Aristotelian unities (action, time, and place).

• Characters: Typically of higher social status, expressing themselves in elevated language.
• Conflict: Features intractable conflicts where the hero confronts unseen forces (gods, fate, social morals, etc.).
• Dilemma: Sometimes the hero commits a crime unknowingly, living the dilemma of not being able to achieve good without doing evil, which triggers a tragic end.
• Effect: It moves the audience through the protagonist's suffering and the

The Origins of the Modern Novel

The birth of the modern novel was driven by the rise of the bourgeoisie, which demanded a realistic genre that was relatively simple and accessible to a new class of readers, including bourgeois women. Consequently, female characters began to appear more frequently in sentimental narratives.

The English Novel: Daniel Defoe

Starting with the 1719 publication of Robinson Crusoe, Defoe utilized a first-person narrative to showcase the protagonist's progress from youth to maturity. The central theme of the novel is the human capacity to dominate and transform nature. Robinson achieves his objectives through a bourgeois approach, relying on hard work, reason, and his concept of civilization.

Jonathan Swift: A Critique

Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Edouard Manet: A Closer Look

Techniques and Styles

Unconventional painting methods angered the public. Manet abandoned chiaroscuro in favor of sharp contrasts between light and shade. He painted shapes with large patches of pure color for greater modernity and vitality. Critics called his style "spotty." The intense green enlivens the landscape, the yellows and reds dominate the still life, while the pure white and smooth skin tones reduce Victorine's body to nearly flat surfaces of light.

Manet, in his execution, leaves the careful style of academic literature. He draws the figures without contour lines. The background has no details, it is simply outlined. It has a total disregard for the rules of perspective. The...