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Understanding Baudelaire's "The Albatross"

Charles Baudelaire's poem "The Albatross" offers a profound symbolic exploration of the Romantic poet's place in society. This analysis delves into the poem's structure, its key metaphors, and the poignant comparison between the majestic albatross and the alienated artist.

First Stanza: Introduction of Elements

Two key elements are introduced: the seafaring people and the albatross. The sailors, after spending long periods at sea, become bored and capture albatrosses for amusement. The birds do not threaten or provoke the sailors into capturing them; they simply accompany the ships. The albatross symbolizes the Romantic poet, while the seafaring people symbolize society. Baudelaire uses the bird to symbolize... Continue reading "Baudelaire's "The Albatross": Poetic Symbolism and Social Critique" »

Spanish Post-War Novels: 1940s to 1970s

Novels of the 1940s: Tremendismo and Existentialism

Important novels of the 1940s include The Family of Pascual Duarte by Camilo José Cela (1942) and Nada by Carmen Laforet (1945).

The Family of Pascual Duarte (1942)

• Most representative of the tremendista novel, vividly portraying the extreme inhumanity and violence of rural Spain, and ultimately, the human condition.
• In his narrative, Cela combines elements of:
  • Picaresque novel: Narrative told in the first person.
  • Naturalism: The supposed determinism governing the protagonist and the detailed description of reality.
  • Esperpento (Valle-Inclán): Exaggeration and the animalization of characters.

Pascual Duarte: Sentenced to death, he tries to justify his crimes... Continue reading "Spanish Post-War Novels: Literary Movements and Key Works" »