Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Arts and Humanities

Pío Baroja: Life and Style

Pío Baroja, the impressionistic novelist, was born in San Sebastián in 1872 and died in Madrid in 1956.

Pessimism

He was pessimistic, seeing life as a blind, uncontrollable force dominated by instincts, where the cruelty of the strong is imposed upon the weak. This pessimistic conception leads to distrusting everything, avoiding speaking or acting so as not to create 'idols,' and becoming closed off, which prevents communication with others, leading to misanthropy.

Impressionist Style

His style is impressionistic: he does not construct his narratives with solid, closed arguments, but everything is outlined, using impressionist techniques. He describes spaces and environments quickly, with vague sensations. The psychology... Continue reading "Pío Baroja and the Generation of '98" »

Features of the Narrative Genre

Event and Plot

The events are the occurrences, past or present, in the story. These events form the plot.

• Closed Linear Structure: Has a beginning, middle, and end.
• Open Non-linear Structure: Episodes accumulate without following a strict timeline.

Characters

Characters develop the narrative action and intervene in the story.

• The protagonist is the principal character.
• The antagonist is the character who opposes the hero.
• Some works feature collective characters, involving many characters where none stand out above the others.

Based on characterization, characters can be:

• Archetypal: Representing universal patterns.
• Psychological Models: Described with multiple features and evolving throughout the work.

Time

Time is another... Continue reading "Narrative Genre: Elements, Structure, and Forms" »

Stylistic Analysis

Fortuny's work, while rooted in realism, diverges from French realism. It lacks social critique and, despite depicting different social classes, doesn't challenge oppression. His style, often termed Catalan-French realism, caters to bourgeois tastes with vibrant colors and intricate details.

Fortuny's influences include Impressionism, particularly in his use of color and light. However, unlike French Impressionists, he retains traditional chiaroscuro, albeit without using contrasting colors for shadows.

His time in Morocco significantly impacted his art, inspiring masterpieces like The Battle of Tetuan. This influence is evident in his portrayal of light and detail.

Fortuny's style also reflects Pintoresquismo, echoing Goya's... Continue reading "Mariano Fortuny's 'The Vicar's Office': Analysis and Interpretation" »

Illness and Disability in Ethan Frome

Ethan and those individuals close to him, including Mattie, suffer from sickness or disability. Caring for the sick and the lame defines Ethan’s life. He spends years tending to his ailing mother, and then he cares for his hypochondriacal wife, Zeena. After his and Mattie’s attempted suicide, Ethan is forced to spend his days as a cripple, living with a sick wife and the handicapped Mattie. Outward physical signs reflect inner realities, and the predominance of illness indicates that, inwardly, they are all in states of destitution and decline.

The Impact of Snow and Cold

The imagery of Ethan Frome is built around cold, ice, snow, and hues of white. The characters constantly complain about the cold, and... Continue reading "Ethan Frome: Illness, Cold, and Symbolic Red" »

Salvador Dalí's The Great Masturbator, created in 1929, is a seminal work of dreamlike surrealism. This oil on canvas painting, measuring 1.1 m x 1.5 m, is housed at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid.

Historical Context

The year 1929 was decisive not only for Dalí's biography but also for the evolution of the pictorial Surrealist movement, of which this work is one of the most representative manifestations. Dalí developed his paranoid-critical method, which involved relating arbitrary images to emerging obsessions. Dalí's mastery of pictorial technique is evident: flawless and precise drawing, vibrant and luminous colors, and an almost photographic realism. The distinction from traditional painting lies in the unusual... Continue reading "Salvador Dalí's The Great Masturbator: A Surrealist Icon" »

During the Middle Ages, two prominent art schools emerged: Romanesque and Gothic. Romanesque art originated in the 10th century, while Gothic art followed in the 12th century. For a time, they coexisted before Gothic eventually replaced Romanesque across much of Western Europe. Spain, Germany, and France were particularly rich in Romanesque art. However, France transitioned early to the Gothic style, becoming, along with England and Spain, one of the countries with a less developed Romanesque style.

The Church's Influence on Medieval Art

The Church played a crucial role in both periods. As the highest authority during the Middle Ages, it influenced art in all its forms:

• Painting: Although not extensively developed, painting primarily depicted

Features of the Esperpento

The Esperpento. The word "grotesque" was popularly used with meanings of "extravagance" and "ugliness." Valle-Inclán (VI) uses it to refer to his theater. The esperpento is defined given the situation of the characters, unable to reach the height of tragedy, and how ridiculous they are in their situation.

The theory about the new genre appears in scene XII. In it, the main character says, "Our tragedy is not a tragedy." Tragedy is a genre too noble for the surrounding landscape. And from the impossibility of tragedy comes the *esperpento*. The nature of this *aesthetic deformans* is illustrated with reference to the concave mirrors that decorated the facade of a shop on Cat Street in Madrid.

In an interview in 1928,... Continue reading "Valle-Inclán's Esperpento: Features and Analysis" »

A View From The Bridge: Analysis of Themes and Characters

A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller

Actions

When we see Catherine serve food, or offer Eddie a beer, or when she sits on the bath while he shaves in her slip, we are being told about their relationship. Without being lovers, they have the kind of intimacy only lovers should have.

The two kisses at the start of act II are equally effective on stage: one with its suggestion of incest and the other illustrating Eddie's mistaken belief in Rodolfo's homosexuality.

The final action of the play is where Eddie dies by his own hand and his own weapon; but Eddie also metaphorically destroys himself over the whole course of the play. And this is what Alfieri introduces at the play's opening: "the... Continue reading "Analyzing 'A View From The Bridge': Themes and Characters" »

Market Research Fundamentals

Market research involves collecting and analyzing information a company needs to make marketing decisions.

Phases of Market Research

1. Define the problem and research objectives: Clear objectives help achieve clear results.
2. Design the research plan: Decide how to carry out the research and methods for obtaining information.
3. Search for and obtain information: It is essential to distinguish between secondary and primary information.

   Secondary Information

   Information that has been developed for purposes other than the research being carried out. It can be internal or external, depending on whether the information is inside or outside the company.

   Primary Information

   New information generated through surveys, experimentation,

Michelangelo's Vatican Pietà: A Renaissance Masterpiece

Composition and Symbolism

• The two figures form a closed pyramidal composition.
• The Virgin Mary holds Christ, who lies in her lap. Her eyes are cast down, yet she also engages the viewer directly.
• One hand welcomes her son, while the other seems to invite adoration. Her figure forms the pyramid's base.
• The group contrasts the nudity of Jesus with the deep, heavy folds of Mary's drapery. The Virgin's weight is conveyed as she only touches the ground with her right foot.

Historical Context and Artistic Choices

• Commissioned by Cardinal Jean de Bilhères-Lagraulas.
• The contract clearly specified the Virgin Mary covered with a garment and the body of Christ dead in her arms.
• The sculpture depicts the