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Antonio Machado (1875-1939)

Machado belonged to a liberal family. At eight years old, he traveled to Madrid to study at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. In 1899, he traveled to France where he met Rubén Darío. In 1907, he became a French professor in Soria. He married Leonor in 1910 and they traveled to France. Leonor died in 1912, making Machado's poetry more pessimistic. He spoke of Castile as a reflection of Leonor. His family advised him to return to Spain, but he soon returned to Segovia and later to Madrid. During the Civil War, he was persecuted and decided to take a boat to France, where he died in 1939. Some authors describe him as a modernist poet, while others place him in the Generation of '98 due to shared themes and attitudes.... Continue reading "Antonio Machado and Juan Ramón Jiménez: Spanish Literary Giants" »

Introduction

The post-Civil War era in Spain witnessed a significant shift. Under the dictatorship, the nation experienced hardship, and many intellectuals, including scientists, poets, and researchers, sought exile as freedom of expression became endangered. Those remaining faced restricted creative expression, aligning their work with the regime's ideology. This isolation further hindered Spain's intellectual growth and acceptance of new ideas.

The Forties: Repression and Censorship

The 1940s were marked by repression, poverty, and widespread censorship, both civil and ecclesiastical. Democracy was suppressed, and any expression contrary to the regime's political and religious views was stifled.

Poetry of the Seventies

In 1970, José M. Castellet'... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry Evolution: From Dictatorship to the 1970s" »

The Renaissance: Ideals and Cultural Periods

The Renaissance was a European movement that applied the ideals disseminated by the humanists to distinguish two cultural periods. These periods roughly correspond to the first and second halves of the sixteenth century.

First Rebirth (Early Renaissance)

• Metric Innovation: Beginning around 1526, adopting a new metric based on forms such as the sonnet, the tercets, the octava real, and the lira.
• Aesthetic Ideal: The aesthetic ideal lies in ease and the absence of affectation. Garcilaso de la Vega is the most representative author of this time.
• Themes: The primary theme is love, rooted in a deep Petrarchan lyrical tone. It is a personal feeling, often featuring nature, and shows a noticeable taste for mythological

Spanish Theatre Movements Up to 1970

The Theatre Until 1970: This period, much like poetry and fiction during the Civil War, saw significant development.

Bourgeois Comedy

The foremost representative of this style was Jacinto Benavente, who offered a critique of bourgeois society in works such as The Nest (among others).

Theatre Mood and Humor

Several authors defined the theatrical mood:

• Enrique Jardiel Poncela: Author of Eloísa Is Below a Magic Almond, mixing humor and intrigue.
• Miguel Mihura: Broke comic theatre conventions in Three Hats.
• Pedro Muñoz Seca: His work, such as Revenge of Don Mendo, showcased a direct mood of evasion.

Avant-garde Theatre

This movement incorporated European innovations and new media:

• Ramón Gómez de la Serna: Incorporated

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a tragic conflict that profoundly divided the 20th century. Despite the turmoil, Spanish literature experienced an era of grandeur, particularly in poetry. This period led some to speak of a second Silver Age or Golden Age, as authors from the Generations of '98 and '14 were still publishing, and the Generation of '27 was at its peak.

The War's Impact on Poets and Literature

The war brought death to some, like Federico García Lorca, and forced others into exile, including Juan Ramón Jiménez, León Felipe, Luis Cernuda, and Jorge Guillén. For those who remained, censorship became a pervasive reality.

"Rooted Poetry": Neoclassicism and Tradition

Among the poets who stayed in Spain, a logical "regulatory unity"... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry After the Civil War: A Literary Divide" »

Prepositions of Time: IN, ON, AT

• IN: *in the afternoon*, *in December*, *in summer*, *in 1998*
• ON: *on Friday*, *on the 12th of July*, *on my birthday*
• AT: *at 3 o'clock*, *at midday*, *at night*, *at New Year's*

Family Vocabulary & Possessive Nouns

• Family Members:
  • Cousins (primo/a)
  • Aunts (tía)
  • Uncles (tío)
  • Nieces (sobrina)
  • Nephews (sobrino)
• Saxon Genitive (Possessive 's):
  • *Charles's brother*
  • *The brothers' car*

Possessive Adjectives & Demonstratives

• Possessive Adjectives:
  • *His* (él)
  • *Her* (ella)
  • *It's* (it is) vs. *Its* (possessive)
• Demonstratives:
  • *This* (cerca, singular)
  • *That* (lejos, singular)
  • *These* (cerca, plural)
  • *Those* (lejos, plural)

Articles and Plural Noun Rules

• Articles:
  • *A* (singular, before consonant sounds)
  • *An* (singular, before vowel sounds:

Miguel Hernández: A Poetic Journey

First Poetic Stage (1933-1936)

During this period (1933-1936), Miguel Hernández's lyrical production is characterized by the pursuit of poetic language itself and the significant influence of Ramón Sijé. This stage includes notable works such as Perito en lunas and El rayo que no cesa.

Perito en lunas (1933)

Perito en lunas is Miguel Hernández's first published book (1933). It comprises 42 poems, primarily in octavas reales. This collection belongs to Hernández's neogongorist phase, transforming everyday objects into art and incorporating the genre of the riddle.

El rayo que no cesa (1936)

Published in 1936, El rayo que no cesa explores the central theme of an unfulfilled love. Moral standards prevent the... Continue reading "Miguel Hernández: Poetic Evolution and Key Works" »

Spanish Literature in the 1950s and 1960s

Poetry

The Decade of the 50: Most Representative Authors

• Blas Otero (1916-1979): Existential poetry, social poetry, new forms of expression
• Gabriel Celaya (1911-1991): Surrealist, intense and aggressive language

The Decade of the 60: Most Representative Authors

• Jose Hierro (1922-2002): Early works: search for happiness; later works: collective suffering and existentialism
• Claudio Rodriguez (1934-1999): Simple style, singular
• Angel Gonzalez: Social poetry
• Jaime Gil de Biedma: Intimate issues
• Jose Angel Valente: Secrecy

Novel

The Decade of the 50: Representative Authors

• Rafael Sanchez Ferlosio: Realistic approach, concentration of action
• Ignacio Aldecoa: Passion as a storyteller
• Jesus Fernandez Santos: Existential themes

The

Origins of Spanish Golden Age Theater

Italian Influence and Early Developments

The origins of Spanish theater in the sixteenth century were significantly influenced by Italian techniques and resources. Lope de Vega was well acquainted with the work of Italian companies and founded his own "theater cave" (teatro cueva). Juan del Encina introduced Mexican themes into Spanish drama by the end of the sixteenth century.

Structure of Golden Age Drama

Divisions of a Play

Plays were typically divided into three acts, or "days":

• Exposure (Exposición): The first act, introducing the characters and conflict.
• Knot (Nudo): The remainder of the first act, the second act, and part of the third, where the plot develops.
• Outcome (Desenlace): The resolution of the

16th Century Spanish Narrative

The prose narrative of the 16th century cannot be defined as the modern novel. Originating in Italy, it encompassed short stories, novels, and imitations of Cervantes. New genres emerged, such as the pastoral narrative, akin to lyrical poetry. A notable example is The Seven Books of the Diana by Jorge de Montemayor.

A unique genre was the Moorish-themed narrative, featuring the figure of the Moor, sometimes in tolerant coexistence with Christians. The anonymous Abencerraje and the Beautiful Jarifa is a prime example. These were not realistic depictions of Moorish life but idealized portrayals, similar to pastoral narratives. Francisco Delicado, author of the rich Andalusian work akin to La Celestina, stands out.... Continue reading "16th Century Spanish Literature: Genres and Evolution" »