Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Latin for Baccalaureate

Spanish Narrative to 1939

The Spanish narrative up to 1939 has its origins in the crisis of 1898. This, coupled with a growing loss of confidence in the positivism of the previous century, led to pessimism and "anguish." This social and ideological situation was joined by a special cultural development. A group of eager young writers emerged, imbued with refreshing ideas, including Ramiro de Maeztu, Pío Baroja, Miguel de Unamuno, Jacinto Benavente, Rubén Darío, Ramón del Valle-Inclán, and the Machado brothers. They lived intensely through the historical events and issues of Spain and were especially sensitive to the "disaster of '98."

The Generation of '98

The term "Generation of '98" is mainly associated with writers such as Azorín, Baroja,...

Part of Don Quixote

DQ First Departure: Chapters 1-6

Alonso Quijano, believing himself a knight, seeks an appropriate name, chooses a lady, and names his horse. The adventures of the knight always go wrong. After being beaten, a neighbor recognizes him, and he returns to the village.

Second Exit: Chapters 7-52

They seek a servant. Sancho and DQ come to Sierra Morena.

Second Part of Don Quixote

Third Exit: 74 Chapters

DQ and Sancho leave their village and travel towards Barcelona in Aragon. After arriving in Barcelona, DQ duels with the Knight of the White Moon on the beach, loses, and is obliged to return to his village for a year. Shortly after arriving, DQ falls ill, recovers his sanity, and dies.

Intent of Don Quixote

Cervantes wrote Don Quixote...

The Spanish Novel in the Mid-20th Century: 1940s to 1960s

The Post-War Novel (1940s): Exile and Tremendismo

This period saw the rise of the social novel, committed to the political and social conflicts that culminated in the 1936 confrontation. This literary trend evolved independently and parallel to the narrative produced by writers who went into exile due to the Republican cause, continuing to write and publish from countries in America.

The Novel in Exile

The most prominent author of the novel in exile was Ramón J. Sender. His work is characterized by ideological commitment. A key work is Crónica del alba (1942).

Early Post-War Novel in Spain (Tremendismo)

The early post-war novel reflected the mood of existential pessimism in Spain:

• The Family

The Spanish Novel After the Civil War: Context and Characteristics

Following the Spanish Civil War, a long period of severe deprivation began, profoundly reflected in the national narrative. Key characteristics of this era include:

• Some established authors (like Azorín and Baroja) continued to publish, though often lacking the vigor of their earlier works.
• Many authors faced censorship or ended up in exile.
• The novel experienced a surge in the 1940s, striving to reflect the appropriate postwar situation.
• The literature reflected a deep moral uncertainty and an existential desire for social complaint across Spain and Europe.

Stages of the Post-War Spanish Novel

1. The Novel of Exile (1930s)

The authors reflected concerns about Spain, focusing on the...

In 1936, the Spanish Civil War erupted, profoundly impacting poetic groups and dividing society. This division was starkly reflected in the poetry of the era, with poetic culture often serving as a propaganda weapon.

Poetry in Exile After the Spanish Civil War

Many poets were forced into exile. Key figures and groups include:

• Poets of the Generation of '14: Notably Juan Ramón Jiménez.
• Poets of the Generation of '27: Including figures like Federico García Lorca (though his fate was tragic within Spain, many others from this generation went into exile).
• Poets whose work had barely begun:
  • Juan Gil-Albert: He managed to reconcile an initial serene and reflective poetry with moral-civic engagement.
  • Arturo Serrano Plaja: His work cries out against human

The Latin American Literary Boom: Defining Characteristics and Key Authors

The mid-20th century witnessed a transformative period in Latin American literature, often referred to as the Latin American Literary Boom. Novelists from this era built upon previous literary traditions while increasingly favoring the urban novel as a setting. A defining characteristic was the consolidation of magic realism, seamlessly blending the fantastical with everyday reality.

These authors boldly broke with traditional narrative structures, incorporating innovative techniques such as multiple points of view, free indirect style, and interior monologue. They employed diverse styles and languages, often emphasizing poetic elements. Furthermore, their works frequently...

Moral Reflection: The Poems of Jorge Manrique

His most representative work is the Coplas por la muerte de su padre (Stanzas on the Death of his Father).

Metrics

Manrique uses the so-called Manriqueña couplet (copla de pie quebrado), a stanza variety of 12 lines grouped into two sextets with a broken foot. The lines are octosyllabic (8 syllables), except for the 3rd and 6th lines of each sextet, which are tetrasyllabic (4 syllables). The rhyme scheme is typically abcabcdefdef.

Structure

The work is generally divided into three parts:

1. A doctrinal exposition of a philosophical nature, focusing on the destructive and relentless power of fortune, time, and death.
2. Reinforcement of the doctrinal exposition, citing examples of prominent figures from the

Key Early 20th Century Spanish Novelists

This period saw a flourishing of diverse styles, from humor to modernism and the avant-garde.

Writers Focused on Humor

Fernandez Flores: His main interest was the creation of the modern humorous novel in Spain. For him, humor was an attitude towards life, increasingly critical and intellectual (Volvoreta, The Living Forest...).

Ramón Gómez de la Serna: He wrote novels, short stories, and avant-garde theater. However, his most interesting works are the greguerías (humorous lyrical images establishing witty, unusual relationships between two objects or concepts), which he defined as: humor + metaphor.

Modernist Novelists

Gabriel Miró: He presents a special care in his prose. Formed in modernism (Cherries

The Generation of '27: Tradition and Avant-Garde

The Generation of '27 represents a unique synthesis of poetic tradition and avant-garde innovation. This group, which emerged in Seville during the 1927 homage to Góngora, did not arise as a rebellion against previous generations but rather as an evolution of intellectual and artistic thought.

Key Members of the Group

The core members include:

• Pedro Salinas
• Federico García Lorca
• Rafael Alberti
• Luis Cernuda
• Emilio Prados
• Manuel Altolaguirre
• Salvador Dalí (associated)

Literary Context (1920–1935)

The group was influenced by the symbolist work of Antonio Machado, the "pure poetry" of Juan Ramón Jiménez, and the theoretical essays of Ortega y Gasset, particularly The Dehumanization of Art. The Residencia...