Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Latin

Garcilaso's Poetic Legacy

Petrarchan Songbook Organization

Garcilaso's poetic works were modeled on Petrarch's songs. In the fifteenth century, a 'songbook' referred to a collection of poems and songs by various authors. However, in the Petrarchan tradition, a songbook is a collection of poems by a single author, narrating the sentimental or romantic journey of the poet.

Petrarch's Canzoniere is divided into two main parts:

• A collection of poems dedicated to his beloved while she lived.
• A set of poems written in memory of his beloved, once she's dead.

The collection begins with a sonnet serving as a prologue and concludes with another sonnet. In this final sonnet, Petrarch seeks eternal comfort through a prayer to the Virgin Mary.

Garcilaso's work... Continue reading "Garcilaso de la Vega: Poetic Themes, Style, and Petrarchan Influence" »

Spanish Theater Before 1936: Trends, Authors, and Key Works

In the late nineteenth century, European theater was dominated by naturalism, focusing on reflecting human problems and analyzing character psychology. The breakdown of these conventions marked the development of European theater. Various art movements, particularly Dada and Surrealism, sought a complete break with traditional theater. The text became less important, and the viewer was expected to actively participate in the work. Techniques from cabaret, silent film, and puppet theater were incorporated, and stages were moved to unconventional locations like factories and churches.

Benaventino Comedy

Commercial theater saw the triumph of Benaventino Comedy. Jacinto Benavente was the... Continue reading "Spanish Theater: Trends, Authors, and Works Before 1936" »

Modernism: A Late 19th Century Literary Movement

Modernism emerged at the end of the 19th century in Europe and America. It encompassed renovating currents opposed to the aesthetics and attitudes of realism. Modernism, a stream of artistic and literary renewal, developed in the late 19th century, representing a break with the aesthetics of realism. It received influences from French movements in the second half of the 19th century:

• Parnassianism: Striving for formal perfection (art for art's sake), disregarding feelings, and focusing on beauty.
• Symbolism: Seeking meaning in reality through the use of symbols.

Modernism is considered to have begun with the publication of Azul by Ruben Dario in 1888. Other notable authors include Francisco Villaespesa,... Continue reading "Modernism and the Generation of '98: Literary Movements in Spain" »

Celestite

Authorship

Attributed primarily to Fernando de Rojas, with Act I possibly by Rodrigo de Cota. Initially 16 acts, later expanded to 21.

Editions

• 1^st Edition (1499-1500): Untitled, also known as Comedia de Melibea. Contains 16 acts and annotations, including an acrostic verse prologue.
• 2^nd Edition (1502): Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, with 21 acts.
• 3^rd Edition: Mid-16^th century, titled La Celestina.

Genre

Debated between:

• a) Play: Division into acts, absence of a narrator, action driven by dialogue, specific time and place setting.
• b) Dialogue Novel: Length and complexity make it difficult to stage.

Structure

• Act I: Introduction to the action.
• Acts II-XII: Development of conflict between characters.
• Acts XIII-XX: Development of Calisto and Melibea'

Renaissance Literature in Spain

The Renaissance

The Renaissance, the historical period following the Middle Ages, originated in Italy and spread throughout Europe. This era exalted earthly life and embraced vitalism, epitomized by the phrase carpe diem. Knowledge became a means of human improvement, giving rise to humanism. Renaissance values, particularly among the bourgeoisie, were disseminated through the printing press. The Renaissance individual sought direct communication.

Renaissance Poetry

Garcilaso de la Vega

Garcilaso de la Vega's small body of work (38 sonnets and 3 eclogues) focuses almost exclusively on love. To express his feelings, he often employs classical mythology and the literary motif of the locus amoenus. Garcilaso introduced... Continue reading "Spanish Renaissance Literature: Poets and Prose" »

The Greek Epic

Epic poetry sang the deeds of heroes, stories that occurred in a legendary past. It was transmitted orally from mouth to mouth, which also determined how to compose the introductory verses. With the alphabet, poets began to write what was transmitted orally. These exploits seem to have some historical background.

Within Greek epic literature, the work of two great authors stands out: Homer and Hesiod (8th - 7th century BC).

Homer

It was said that Homer was a poet who recited his poems and was represented as blind. His existence is wrapped up in legend. It seems that he lived in the late 8th century BC and was from Chios. He is the author of the first works of Greek literature that we have preserved: the Iliad and the Odyssey.

The

The Languages of Spain: A Rich Linguistic Heritage

Spain is a country with a vibrant linguistic landscape, home to several co-official languages alongside Castilian Spanish. Each language boasts a unique history, evolution, and cultural significance.

Castilian Spanish: Origins and Evolution

Castilian is a Romance language derived from a Vulgar Latin dialect, with influences from other innovative peninsular linguistic trends. It emerged as a distinct language in the northern Cantabrian mountain range of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically between La Rioja and an independent Castile. Its geographical location fostered linguistic influence from neighboring regions, particularly from Basque.

Its prominence grew significantly because Alfonso X made... Continue reading "Spain's Rich Linguistic Tapestry: Origins and Features" »

Avant-Garde Movements in Art and Literature

Key Features of the Avant-Garde

Avant-garde refers to the movements in art developed in the early 20th century with a desire to resist the concept of art based on imitating reality. These movements retained a taste for the exceptional and unusual, and their ideological programs were broadcast in magazines. The characteristics that were common in art and literature are:

• Anti-Realism and Autonomy of Art: Rejection of reality, removing any element from the work linking art to the real. In poetry, the ideal of pure poetry creates a purely poetic world.
• Irrationalism: The cult of the image establishes relationships between people and objects that are not logically given. The texts are permeated with irrationalism.

PERSONAL FORMS: Times as Indicative Simple Compounds

Present Perfect

I am loved, you are loved, he is loved, we are loved, you are loved, they are loved. I've been loved, you've been loved, he has been loved.

Past Perfect

We were loved, you were loved, they had been loved.

Past Imperfect

I was loved, you were loved, he was loved, we were loved, you were loved, they were loved.

Pluperfect

I had been loved, you had been loved, he had been loved, we had been loved, you had been loved, they had been loved.

Pretérito Perfecto Simple

I loved, you loved, he loved, we loved, you loved, they loved.

Pretérito Anterior

I had been loved, you had been loved, he had been loved, we had been loved, you had been loved, they had been loved.

Future Perfect

I will be loved,... Continue reading "Mastering English Verb Tenses: A Comprehensive Study" »