Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Arts and Humanities for Other courses

Early 20th Century Spanish Theater Triumphs

98.el commercial theater triumphs in earlier decades. It still makes the works of Charles Arniches and Hnos. Álvarez Quintero, Madrid society idealized and Andalusian, proto defects reflect the strengths and typical of both regions.

Jacinto Benavente (Nobel Prize 1922)

His first stage involved the renovation break with the modernist tradition melodramatic, but soon gives way to success and high comedy. He manages to overcome the declamatory, grandiloquent tone with elegant language. In his work, vested interests introduce characters from Italian comedy and show a society based on a set of interests.

Miguel de Unamuno

His plays deal with symbolic existential conflict and lack of ornamentation and theatrical...

Vocabulary: Words, Phrasal Verbs & Word Families

Headwords with Translations

• unique (unusual, special)
• Random (aleatorio)
• stands out (destaca, más impresionante)
• attached (adjunta, connected to)
• claims
• recall (remember)

Phrasal Verbs & Common Expressions

• sign up for (matricularse en)
• carry out (realizar)
• cope with (enfrentarse con)
• figure out (averiguar)
• brought up (educar)
• comes up with (inventar / pensar algo)
• fall for (creer)
• keep up with (seguir)
• put up with (soportar — alguien)
• run out of (quedarse sin — energía)

Additional Vocabulary and Usage

• Ban (prohibit)
• conscious (aware)
• convince (persuade)
• eventually (in the end)
• fascinating (very interesting)
• key (important)
• significance (importance)
• waste (desperdiciar)

Phrases for Planning, Decisions &

19th Century French Painting Movements

When examining the painting art developed in France during the 19th century, we can identify two distinct yet related movements.

Impressionism: Capturing the Moment

Impressionism was characterized by the use of quick, visible brushstrokes to depict subject matter focused on modern life and the subjective vision of a fleeting moment. Impressionism moved away from the historical and mythological narratives prevalent in Realism. Key characteristics include:

• Bright and pure colors to express feelings and emotions.
• Blurred, undefined contours.
• Fragmented perspectives, influenced by Japanese prints and early photography.

Case Study: Edgar Degas' L'Absinthe

In L'Absinthe, Edgar Degas represents an everyday scene in a...

This Girl Can (Sport England, 2015) Campaign Analysis

Media Language

• Bright colors and dynamic movement create energy and realism. — Barthes (Semiotics): Sweat signifies effort; the body signifies confidence.
• Sport and activism genre blend is inspirational. — Neale (Genre): Combines fitness genre with social change to refresh norms.

Representation

• Real women with visible sweat portray proud, strong bodies. — Hall (Representation): Resists passive female stereotypes, creating a new identity.
• No sexualization; focus is on effort. — Mulvey (Male Gaze): Rejects objectification by showing women as active agents.

Industry

• Government-funded campaign, not for profit. — Curran & Seaton (Power & Media): Uses media to empower, not to profit.

Core Media Studies Concepts

• Mise-en-scène – Everything in the frame (costume, setting, etc.). Example: This Girl Can – Sweat, gym clothes, and an urban setting represent realism and empowerment.
• Anchorage – Text that fixes the meaning of an image. Example: Quality Street – The “Magic moments” tagline anchors a nostalgic, family-oriented meaning.
• Typography – Font style, size, and layout. Example: Malala Vogue – Elegant serif font conveys intellect and activism over glamour.
• Enigma Code (Barthes) – Creates mystery or tension. Example: The Sun – “Exclusive!” headlines create curiosity.
• Stereotype – An oversimplified portrayal. Example: The Sun – Politicians are often shown as corrupt, while celebrities are linked to scandal.

Pop Art: Origins and Cultural Significance

The artistic movement soon jumped from London to New York, where it was quickly absorbed and energized, creating a unique style of folk art. Pop Art is the artistic expression of consumer culture, technology, democracy, and the welfare state, where the artwork is designed as a product that could be produced in series, like other consumer goods. Examples are found in the works of Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol.

Pop Art has its origins in Dadaism, which incorporated collage and photomontage, but it soon separated to form a distinct stream. In the U.S., it began as a rejection of Abstract Expressionism, which artists considered overly intellectual and detached from social reality. On the contrary,...

The Passive Voice

• Present Simple: Many people watch TV. → TV is watched by many people.
• Present Continuous: TV producers are creating new reality shows. → New reality shows are being created by TV producers.
• Past Simple: Juan switched on the TV. → The TV was switched on by Juan.
• Past Continuous: TV channels were showing too much sport. → Too much sport was being shown on TV channels.
• Present Perfect Simple: The creators of The Simpsons have written a new series. → A new series has been written by the creators of The Simpsons.
• Past Perfect Simple: Belen had borrowed my favorite DVD. → My favorite DVD had been borrowed by Belen.
• Future: Channel Ten will film a new soap opera next year. → Next year, a new soap opera will be filmed by Channel

Types of Narrator

Definition: The kind of voice telling the story, categorized by perspective (participant/observer) and trustworthiness (reliable/unreliable, omniscient/objective).

Examples of Narrative Voice

• In Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral,” the narrator is unreliable; his judgments about Robert reveal his own ignorance, not the truth.
• In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” the narrator is objective, refusing to interpret events and forcing readers to infer the emotional stakes.

Metaphor

Definition: A figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

Example: In John Cheever’s “The Swimmer,” Neddy’s journey through neighborhood pools is a powerful metaphor for life, aging, and decline....

English Irregular Verbs Conjugation Table

This table provides a list of common English irregular verbs, including their Spanish translation, simple past, and past participle forms.

Music: Soundtrack

People Who Act: Cast

People Watching in the Studio: A Live Audience

People Working on the Programme: Crew

Storyline: Plot

Broadcasting Right Now: On Air

Shot in a Real Place: Filmed on Location

A Person Who Writes the Dialogue in a Film: A Scriptwriter

Computer Graphics: Special Effects

Scenery and Furniture: Set

Very Exciting: Gripping

Very Funny: Hilarious

Believable: Convincing; Very Bad: Appalling

Kidnapping: Taking Somebody by Force; Arson: Setting Fire on Purpose

Life Sentence: Prison for Life; Vandalism: Damaging Property

Fine: Paying Money as Punishment; Community Service: Community Service

Burglary: Breaking in to Steal; Tax Evasion: Not Paying Taxes

Piracy: Stealing Digital Content

Depressing and Frightening: Gloomy; Confusing: Baffling

Deep...