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

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and its aftermath in the 1940s brought profound upheaval to all aspects of Spanish life. In the realm of literature, censorship and the country's isolation closed its borders to European literary currents. The novel emerged as the chosen genre for authors of this period, often seeking to restore realism.

The Postwar Novel: Restoring Realism and Tremendismo

Works from this era, while sometimes lacking the innovations of the 19th-century novel in terms of themes or traditional techniques, nonetheless achieved significant quality. Authors like José María Gironella, though perhaps not aesthetically groundbreaking, adopted an existential and despairing tone, reflecting the "unknown moment" of the time. Many felt... Continue reading "The Spanish Novel in Postwar Spain: Currents & Authors" »

Antonio Machado: Themes of Anxiety and Spain

Antonio Machado's poetry is characterized by a simple, anti-rhetorical style, primarily exploring themes of anxiety, melancholy, and the socio-political situation of Spain.

Education and Influences

Machado studied at the Free Institution of Teaching, a prominent educational movement in Spain inspired by Krausismo. This institution played a crucial role in educational reform by championing academic freedom and rejecting religious, political, or moral dogma in its teaching methods.

Three Phases of Work

Machado's work can be divided into three distinct phases:

• Solitudes (later extended to Galleries and Other Poems): This early phase exhibits Symbolist influences, employing poetic language and a subjective

Joan Francesc Mira: Essays on Identity and Nation

Joan Francesc Mira is a prolific author of essays. His essays are generally based on everyday life stories, aimed at the common reader, and written in a non-specialized or academic, but rather literary, language. Mira aims to make the reader understand, through conversation, that our civilization is ending and a new one is beginning.

In his works on political debate, Mira addresses crucial issues such as:

• Nationalism
• The relationship between culture and power
• The creation and evolution of identities and symbols that conform society
• The importance of language in creating collective consciousness
• The ability to manipulate these elements for specific interests

The author demonstrates his commitment to... Continue reading "Literary Perspectives: Joan Francesc Mira and Modern Playwriting" »

Synchronization and Asynchronization in Audiovisual Media

The simultaneous presence of images and sounds can produce asynchronization, a poor combination. This involves contradictory relationships between expressive systems. Therefore, we seek an asynchronous or synchronous reinforcement and expressive interaction.

Audiovisual Editing

Editing integrates and provides coherence and unity to the various expressive components: visual, aural, and written, both simultaneously and in succession. It is what constructs the definitive account of the facts and produces the meaning, the semantic value.

Theory of Double Articulation

This refers to the linkages between images and words. Two quite opposite models of developing television information have emerged:... Continue reading "Synchronization in Audiovisual Media: Editing and Information" »

Poesía Barroca del Siglo XVII

La poesía barroca potencia ciertos rasgos de la lírica renacentista, pero también rompe muchos moldes de la literatura clasicista anterior. En el siglo XVII, la poesía barroca alcanza un momento brillante en la historia literaria española. La métrica y las estrofas italianas coexisten con versos y formas líricas castellanas. Se revitalizan formas populares y abundan las composiciones líricas con métrica castellana. Los temas cultos son diversos y se adaptan a la nueva concepción de la época. La variedad temática es grande.

Temas Principales en la Poesía Barroca

• Poesía amorosa: Sobrevive el legado del petrarquismo.
• Poesía de carácter metafísico: Trata temas como la vida retirada.
• Poesía religiosa: