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

Realism and Naturalism in 19th-Century Europe

Historical and Social Context

The 19th century in Europe was characterized by rapid population growth and economic expansion based on industrialization. This era was marked by the consolidation of power by authoritarian governments and the rise of the bourgeoisie. The conservative appearance of figures like Napoleon III in France and the imperialist colonial period responded to these interests, driven by the need for raw materials and new markets. These interests clashed with emerging philosophical currents such as positivism and Marxism.

Scientific and experimental trends, including the theory of evolution and theories of heredity, significantly influenced literature. The rigorous observation of reality,... Continue reading "19th-Century Realism and Naturalism in European Literature" »

Advertisements

Advertisements use persuasion to influence the receiver. Key parts include: an image of the product (often with a related image), a short, memorable tagline, text (which may or may not be present), and the logo or monogram of the entity advertising.

Linguistic Variation

Language use differs for each speaker, even when expressing the same idea. This variation depends on age, cultural background, and origin. Three different linguistic varieties exist:

• Diatopic Varieties: Characterize speakers belonging to a specific geographical area.
• Diachronic Varieties: Identify speech features from a particular historical moment or generation.
• Diastratic Varieties: Specify a particular social class or group.

The communicative situation influences... Continue reading "Poetry and Linguistics: Exploring Language Variations" »

Wassily Kandinsky: Composition IV (1910-1913)

This pioneering work of contemporary abstract art announces a new direction in 20th-century painting. Composition IV is a crucial piece in the evolution of Wassily Kandinsky, the creator of abstraction in painting.

Key Details of Composition IV

• Author: Wassily Kandinsky
• Work: Composition IV
• Technique: Oil on canvas
• Chronology: Painted between 1910 and 1913

Style and Interpretation

The figures are simple, but the color is so arbitrary and confusing that it is impossible to distinguish the subject without reference to previous pictures in the series. Especially confusing for the viewer is how the line is used both as an independent element and as a limit to the color.

The Evolution of Wassily Kandinsky's Work

Kandinsky... Continue reading "Wassily Kandinsky's Composition IV: Birth of Abstract Art" »

The scene in the foreground, with figures, depicts Judith beheading Holofernes. The body of Holofernes extends to the bottom of the canvas. The anatomy of the naked body is rendered with absolute perfection. He is depicted as a bearded man with strong muscles. The figure of the maid is waiting with her *mantilla* extended to receive the head and take it to the camp of the Jews. Ocher and white are used to highlight the main figure, and red in the curtains serves to emphasize the importance of the character below. The rest of the room is black, with a gloomy light illuminating the figures. Details such as the earrings that the *Madeleine* had thrown down are now being used by Judith. There is realism in the figures, while the setting is eerie... Continue reading "Caravaggio's Roman Period: Masterpieces and Controversies" »

Theory of Culture and Television

Stages: Fiction television viewers watch a world that differs substantially from the real world. Heavy TV consumers live in a world dominated by television, making the experience a displacement of reality. That is, they are influenced in their perception of social reality by television content. Social representations from the world of television are not absorbed selectively.

Parsons' View on Media Influence

Parsons places the media between what he calls the subsystems of culture, education, and religion. For him, media primarily carry out an integrative function. This function integrates subsystems and various sub-collectivities into a complex social system, achieved through the mechanism of influence. Influence... Continue reading "Media Influence: Culture, Gatekeeping, and Agenda-Setting" »

Understanding Narrative Characters

By character, we mean any entity that voluntarily or accidentally takes actions that advance the plot. This entity is not necessarily a person, animal, or even an object; it can simply be anything that moves the narrative from an initial situation to a new one.

Types of Characters

• Protagonist: The central figure driving the action.
• Antagonist: The character who opposes the protagonist.
• Supporting Characters: Characters who accompany or assist the protagonist and antagonist, contributing to the story.

Characterization Methods

• Description: The author uses physical and psychological descriptions to portray the character, allowing us to visualize them.
• Actions: What the character does at every moment, their behavior,

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa: A 17th-Century Masterpiece by Bernini

Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome (1647-1652)

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, a marble sculpture group considered to be Gian Lorenzo Bernini's masterpiece, is located in the Cornaro Chapel within the Roman church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Commissioned by the Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Federico Cornaro, the chapel was intended as his final resting place. The scene depicted in the sculpture is based on Saint Teresa of Ávila's own description of her mystical experience, later included in her canonization.

Bernini masterfully integrates architecture, sculpture, and painting to create a theatrical experience. The work is a perfect example of Baroque art's aim to... Continue reading "Bernini's Masterpiece: The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa in Rome" »

Expressionism: Germany (1905-1920)

Expressionism emerged in Germany, spanning from 1905 to 1920. This movement prioritized the artist's inner experience over objective reality.

Immediate Influences

• Vincent van Gogh: Arbitrary use of color to express strong emotions.
• Edvard Munch: Depicting themes such as fear, desperation, and sexuality.
• James Ensor: Use of masked and cartoony characters to represent social hypocrisy.

Key Characteristics

• Representing reality according to subjective feelings.
• Using the external world to portray the inner world.
• Rejection of traditional artistic conventions and naturalistic representation.
• Colors and shapes are intensified to enhance emotional impact.
• Emphasis on the intention behind gestures, expressions, and postures.

Genre Characteristics of Theatre: Drama and Comedy

The term Drama refers to literary works designed to represent an action to an audience through dialogue involving several characters. It derives from the Greek word drao, meaning "to make" or "to enforce."

Essential Elements of Drama

• Action: A series of scenic events produced based on the characters' behavior and the resulting psychological or moral modifications.
• Characters: The individuals who carry out the dramatic action through dialogue.
• Dramatic Tension (or Situation): The viewer's reaction to an imminent event within the work. Playwrights often accumulate elements of dramatic action, culminating in the final scenes of each act.
• Atmosphere: The particular mood or environment involving the characters

Narrative Speech: Key Elements

Narrative speech is a form of discourse in which an issuer (narrator) tells about events related to characters, which occur in a temporal process and a determined space.

Linguistic Features

• Abundance of verbal forms.
• Abundance of temporal subordinate clauses.
• In connection with the syntax, we must bear in mind that the more compound sentences and complex syntactic constructions there are, the more it will slow down the narrative. The author plays with this to get the narrative effect that they are pursuing.

Specifications

Point of View

The point of view is the combination of the grammatical person from which the story is told and the attitude of the narrator with respect to the facts.

The main variations that can be found... Continue reading "Narrative Speech: Types, Features, and Styles" »