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Spanish Golden Age Poets: Themes and Styles

Garcilaso de la Vega

Poetic Themes and Evolution

• Love, often expressed with melancholy and sadness due to frustration or unrequited feelings.
• Connection between love and nature, relating to the locus amoenus theme, reflecting the inner world as a poetic refuge from pain.
• Other themes include friendship, fate, fortune, and the mastery of passions.

Stylistic Development

• Early Petrarchan poems show influence from cancionero lyric and the Valencian poet Ausiàs March, characterized by a more intense and dominant use of traditional lyric resources.
• From 1532, increased contact with Petrarchan poetry led to the incorporation of classical genres like the ode, elegy, epistle, and eclogue into his work.

The Eclogues

Garcilaso'... Continue reading "Spanish Golden Age Poets: Themes, Styles, and Key Works" »

The Generation of '98: Defining the Literary Movement

2.1. Defining the Generation of '98: The Critical Debate

A) Arguments Denying a Separate Generation of '98

Some critics argue for the denial of the existence of a distinct Generation of '98. For these authors, Modernism and '98 would be different manifestations of the same attitude and concern. Key figures in this line include:

• José Martínez Ruiz 'Azorín': In a text from 1913, he characterized the Generation of '98 by:
  • Spirit of protest against the establishment.
  • Deep love of art.
  • Influences of Parnassianism and Symbolism.

  The matter is further complicated when Azorín cites the most important authors of the "Generation" and includes Rubén Darío alongside Unamuno, Baroja, Machado, Maeztu, Valle-

Classical Deities and Attributes

Zeus / Jupiter:

sovereignty over all the universe. Crown, Eagle, ray, scepter.

Poseidon / Neptune:

sovereignty over the waters. Crown, trident, chariot and hippocampus, newts, trident, dolphin.

Hera / Juno:

Queen of Olympus, protector of marriage and parties. Crown, scepter, peacock, pomegranate.

Hades / Pluto:

sovereignty over the subterranean world. Chariot + black horses, ivory throne, scepter, horn of abundance.

Demeter / Ceres:

protector of agriculture. Ear of wheat, sickle, torch.

Athena / Minerva:

protector of intelligence, some arts (philosophy, literature, and crafts) and war (for justice). Helmet, spear, Aegis, armor, owl, olive, winged victory.

Hestia / Vesta:

protector of the family, home, and State. Flame of

Epic Poems and the Mester de Juglaría

Epic poems are medieval narrative works that recount the heroic deeds of a figure representative of a people. They were recited by minstrels (juglares), who were itinerant artists performing poems and songs. These epics belong to the tradition known as the Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy).

Key Features of the Mester de Juglaría

• Popular Origin: Created for and by the common people.
• Irregular Meter: Verses do not have a fixed number of syllables.
• Assonance Rhyme: Relies on the repetition of vowel sounds rather than consonant sounds.
• Variable Stanza Length: Composed of an undetermined number of verses.
• Heroic Deeds: Focuses on the great feats of heroes.
• Oral Transmission: Passed down verbally from one minstrel to

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" »

Galician Literature in Exile: Poetry, Narrative, and Theater

As a result of the Spanish Civil War, many Galicians, including writers, artists, and intellectuals, were forced into exile.

Poetry: Themes of Social Critique and Longing

Poetry was the genre most cultivated in Galician literature of exile. The topics discussed included social critique, reflection on the plight of immigrants and exiles, and the reclamation of the dignity and history of Galicia.

Major Poets and Works

• Luís Seoane: Notable works include Fardel de eisilado (Exile's Bundle) and Nube (Fog). His style is characterized by its accessibility, aiming for his lines to reach all readers.
• Lorenzo Varela: Began his literary activity in both Spanish and Galician. He published works such

Context of Exile: Post-1936 Uprising

The military uprising in 1936, which prevented the approval of the Statute of Autonomy, led many Galician intellectuals into exile in Argentina, Uruguay, and Mexico.

Preserving Culture & Language Abroad

Exiles, alongside immigrants, played a crucial role in preserving Portuguese culture and ensuring the continuation of the Galician language as a written form. Their actions included:

• Organization of exhibitions and conferences
• Establishment of publishing houses
• Founding of newspapers
• Constitution of cultural entities
• Denunciation to UNESCO regarding the persecution of Galician culture and language

Key Figures in Exile Literature

Poetry

Emilio Pita

Born in La Coruña, Emilio Pita emigrated to Argentina as a child.... Continue reading "Portuguese & Galician Literary Exile: Preserving Culture" »

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" »