Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Latin

Post-War British Literature: A Look at The Movement and Beyond

The Cultural Landscape of Post-War Britain

The cultural landscape of the post-war period reflects a sense of fragmentation and absurdity, echoing the punk and anarchist movements and exemplified by the Theatre of the Absurd. This existential futility is underscored by the trauma of events like the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Consumerism created an illusion of prosperity, masking widespread disillusionment. This disappointment found its voice in the writings of the Angry Young Men.

The Angry Young Men

These writers, often from working-class backgrounds, found themselves alienated from both the middle and working classes. Key figures included John Osborne, John Braine, and... Continue reading "Post-War British Literature: A Look at The Movement and Beyond" »

Camilo José Cela's *The Family of Pascual Duarte*: A Deep Dive

The Genesis of a Literary Masterpiece

The Family of Pascual Duarte was the first novel by Camilo José Cela, one of the most important writers of the postwar period, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. This work, along with *The Hive*, is among the best of his literary production.

A Confession from the Condemned

The work is presented as the confession of a condemned man. The offender is Pascual Duarte, a peasant who has committed several murders, including that of his own mother. He confesses his sins in an autobiography to publicly explain his conduct. He tries to justify, not only to explain, why he committed these crimes.

Pascual Duarte begins his story by explaining the... Continue reading "Camilo José Cela's The Family of Pascual Duarte: A Deep Dive" »

Bécquer's Late Romantic Works

Poetry

Rimas

Bécquer's most famous work, Rimas, is a collection of 79 short poems characterized by their intimate tone, simple vocabulary, and assonant rhyme. These poems explore themes of love, inspiration, disillusionment, and loneliness. They are grouped into four series that trace the arc of a love story:

1. The Mystery of Poetry (1-11)
2. Hopeful and Joyous Love (12-29)
3. Love's Disillusionment (30-51)
4. Loneliness and Emptiness (52-79)

Bécquer's style avoids the loudness and effects of earlier Romantic poetry, favoring a soft rhythm and evocative language.

Characteristics

• Influence of popular poetry: Short, direct verses with assonance and repetition.
• Influence of Symbolism: Exploration of interior experiences and the ineffable

The title of this book is a play on words. *Dead* means mort, and *Lock* means resclusa. What does “deadlock” mean? A complete failure to reach an agreement or solve an argument.

Key Events and Characters in Deadlock

Here are the key questions and answers:

1. Who was Boom Boom?

   Boom Boom was an injured hockey player working for the Eudora Grain Company; he was found dead.

2. How did he die?

   A ship was tied up at the wharf, and Boom Boom went under as she pulled away. His body was badly chewed up (p. 2).

3. Who tells the story, and what relation does she have with Boom Boom?

   Vic tells the story; she’s Boom Boom’s cousin and friend.

4. What’s Vic’s job?

   She is a detective.

5. Why did Vic want to find out more about Boom Boom’s death?

   Because she didn’t

Part IV: A Voyage to the Country of the Houyhnhnms

1. Arrival and First Encounters

After being abandoned by pirates, Gulliver encounters a race of hideous, deformed, and savage humanoid creatures called Yahoos, towards whom he feels a strong aversion. Soon after, he meets the Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent horses who rule over the Yahoos.

2. The Nature of Houyhnhnms

Gulliver learns that "Houyhnhnm" translates to both "horse" and "perfection of nature" in their language. He explains human society to the Master Horse, who is unfamiliar with concepts like deception, power, greed, lust, or envy.

3. Human Nature and War

The Master Horse inquires about the causes of war among humans. Gulliver explains three main reasons: ambition for conquest, government... Continue reading "Gulliver's Travels Among the Houyhnhnms" »

Caedmon: The First Known English Poet

Caedmon is considered the first English poet. While no original manuscripts of his work survive, we know of him through the writings of Bede, a historian who lived a century later. In his historical accounts, Bede included a monk named Caedmon and introduced a fragment of one of his poems, known as "Caedmon's Hymn" in Old English.

Caedmon lived in a monastery and was illiterate. According to Bede, he had a dream in which a man instructed him to sing. Though initially hesitant, Caedmon began composing poems based on what he heard in his dreams. He was also believed to possess prophetic abilities.

Caedmon used poetry to spread Christianity and was imitated by other monks. His work shared formal characteristics... Continue reading "Early English Literature and Romanticism: Key Figures and Concepts" »

Simple Present

Pres. Simp. -> She cleans her.. -> She has her brushes cleaned

Present Continuous

Past Simple

Past Continuous

Future Simple

Future Continuous

Present Perfect

Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect

Past Perfect Continuous

Avant-Garde Movements

Favism

• Matisse: The Dessert, Harmony in Red (1908), Portrait of Madame Matisse (1905)
• Derain: The River Seine at Chatou (1906)
• Vlaminck
• Rouault

Cubism

• Picasso
• Braque: Woman with a Guitar (1913)
• Juan Gris: Portrait of Picasso (1912)

Expressionism

• Munch: The Scream (1893)
• Kirchner
• Nolde

Futurism

• Boccioni
• Giacometti

Cubist Sculpture

• Brancusi

Between-War Period

Dadaism

• Duchamp: Mona Lisa, Fountain (1917)
• Picabia
• Grosz: The Pillars of Society (1926)

Surrealism

• Dalí: The Apparition of Face and Fruit Dish on a Beach (1931), The Persistence of Memory (1931)
• Chagall: I and the Village (1911)
• Magritte: The Son of Man (1964)

Abstract Art

• Kandinsky: On White II (1923)
• Malevich
• Mondrian
• Klee: Red and White Domes (1914), Senecio (1922)
• Miró

Sculpture

• Brancusi
• Giacometti
• Moore:

Henry James (1843-1916)

A Cosmopolitan Life

Born in New York in 1843, Henry James was a true cosmopolite, moving seamlessly between drawing rooms in Europe, England, and America. While he may have felt more at home in Europe, his American roots profoundly influenced his writing. His works often explore the complex relationship between American and European cultures, highlighting the confrontations and contrasts between these two worlds.

Early Influences and Literary Beginnings

In his youth, James's family embarked on a European journey, immersing themselves in the intellectual and cultural landscapes of Switzerland, France, and Germany. Upon returning to America, they settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a hub of intellectual thought. James's... Continue reading "Henry James: Exploring American Identity and European Influence" »