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

Are the dominant genres of comedy and drama escape political or ideological, two trends that are maintained in the subsequent stage. The theater comedy: humor intellectualized; Jardiel Poncela is a novelist and playwright. His theater is based on a nonsensical humor, ironic, unsentimental, futuristic, avant-garde roots. Conceives of drama as the realm of absurd situations implausible chains with atypical characters and humorous dialogues very intellectualized that foreshadow a critical view of reality. Heloise is under an almond / Miguel Mihura wrote plays and screenplays. His humor is based on the dislocation of language. Exhibits a different vision of society free from prejudice characters and marginal, faced with a world corny and conventional,... Continue reading "Spanish Theater: Comedy, Drama, and Social Commentary" »

1. Quadre de Costums (Customs Literature)

Literature about the customs of a community, usually those that were about to disappear. This genre employed a two-pronged approach: nostalgic and critical. The intent, as seen with Robert, was to denounce the unreasonable behavior of society, often with a humoristic tone.

From the standpoint of atmosphere, two main types emerged:

• Urban Frame (Quadre Urbà): More rebellious and critical, exemplified by R. Robert.
• Rural Frame (Quadre de Masia): More conservative and nostalgic.

It was important to incorporate reality into literature, especially in the urban frame, which was far from the idyllic and distorted vision of Romanticism.

2. The Romantic Novel

The finest example is The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe.... Continue reading "19th Century Literary Movements: Novel Development and Key Authors" »

Deceptive Body Language Signs

Timing and Duration of Gestures

The duration of gestures and emotions may be abnormal. The expression of emotion can occur late, last longer than is natural, and stop suddenly. For example, if a person laughs at a joke but their laughter is cut off suddenly, the joke probably did not cause genuine amusement.

Inconsistent Emotional Timing

When someone manages their emotions deliberately, the timing is inconsistent and unusual. For example, an honest person surprised by a gift may exclaim and then smile, while someone who is lying tends to force the smile and the remark at the same time.

Mismatched Gestures and Words

Their gestures and expressions do not agree. If a person tells you "I love you" but shows a face of indifference,... Continue reading "Detecting Deceptive Body Language: Signs Someone Is Lying" »

Realism: A Literary Movement

Realism is a literary movement that triumphed in Europe by 1850 and aims to reflect contemporary reality.

Historical, Social, and Cultural Context in Spain

Key developments influencing Spanish Realism included:

• Consolidation of the bourgeoisie.
• Industrial development and the organization of the urban proletariat, which began claiming its rights.
• The Revolution of 1868, which dethroned Queen Elizabeth II and initiated a progressive stage.
• The Restoration of the monarchy under Alfonso XII in 1875.
• A cultural and ideological struggle between traditionalists (opposed to modern ideas) and progressives.
• The relatively late arrival of Realism in Spain due to slower economic and industrial development and the delayed emergence of

Gothic Art Chronology

Gothic art follows a distinct chronological progression. The Protogothic style arose in the second half of the 12th century within the Île-de-France cathedrals. This was followed by Classic Gothic during the 13th and 14th centuries, which featured variations such as the Southern Levantine style. Finally, Late Gothic emerged in the 15th century, characterized by highly ornamental developments.

Architectural Features and Origins

Gothic architecture is defined by immaterial elements such as light, height, and proportionality, all deeply rooted in religious significance. As a symbol of the Christian Church, the cathedral acted as a scientific and technological engine for the economy. These buildings of Christian worship typically... Continue reading "Gothic Art and Architecture: Evolution and Key Features" »

Political and Social Context

The larger context of political tension occurs during the implementation problems of constitutional monarchies and republics. This creates a climate of uncertainty and insecurity that manifests itself in the cultural and artistic movement of Romanticism. Romanticism presides over much of the nineteenth century, and in the case of Catalan literature, important writers of the end of this century, such as Verdaguer and Guimerà, are heavily influenced by this aesthetic.

The bourgeois social class, with its powerful individualism, was the impetus behind the entrepreneurial middle class in England, which carried out an industrial revolution. The proletariat and workers, increasingly important, also eventually have an important... Continue reading "Catalan Literature in the 19th Century: Romanticism and Renaixença" »

Hyponymy Defined

Hyponymy establishes a semantic relationship between a word and its hypernym. A hypernym always indicates the generic term, while hyponyms are specific words belonging to a set that can be defined using the same hypernym. For example: Bird (hypernym) > Sparrow (hyponym).

Homonymy

Homonymy is the property where two or more words are written the same but have different meanings.

• Homographs: Words that are written the same, although sometimes pronounced differently.
• Homophones: Words that are written differently but pronounced the same.

Spelling the Sound [s]

Rules regarding the representation of the sound [s]:

At the Beginning of a Word

• Regarding the letters c, z, or s, we always write s: sangre (blood), susto (fright), socorro (help)

Realism in Spanish Literature: The Narrative Genre

The narrative genre, a cornerstone of literary realism, was the most cultivated form for meticulously describing the reality examined by writers of the era. It is characterized by its profound credibility, presenting stories with authentic facts, characters, and settings that feel significant and genuine.

Key Characteristics of Realist Narrative

• Authentic Characters: Portrays real, everyday individuals, with in-depth analysis of their personalities and behaviors to understand their actions.
• Social Commentary: Addresses rampant collective character (e.g., the feminine), social issues, and conflicts within society, framed by specific time and space.
• Narrative Techniques: Frequently employs in medias

Characterization Techniques in Drama

At this point, the actor employs several techniques: characterization indirectly by the self, by actions and words, stage movement, and objects.

Indirect Characterization

This occurs through a character who discusses the attitude and behavior of another to advance the plot or help complete our perception of them. A prime example is the characterization of Bernarda before she even appears on stage.

Autodefinition of Characters

The character speaks about themselves, such as when a character describes their own perceived weaknesses or physical traits.

Characterization Through Action, Words, and Movement

Lorca creates characters with highly identifiable movements that reflect their personalities:

• Bernarda: Her inflexible

Narrative Discourse Elements

Structure of Narrative

The Narrative Sequence

The narrative discourse consists of a series of events, real or imagined.

• Themes: Narrated real-life events, but these changes are irrelevant (they look real even though they are not).
• Structure:
  • Closed: Approach and denouement respecting the chronological development of the facts. Can have alterations:
    • a) In medias res: Begin the story by events that should be counted on.
    • b) Begin with the outcome (contemporary novel).
  • Open: The story unfolds without a plan outlined previously, called juxtaposition of episodes.

Personality and Characterization

Without personality, action is possible.

• Creation: They represent an idea; others are the taming of the being and thinking of the author.