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

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'

Innovation in Renaissance Lyric Poetry

This section delves into the evolution of lyric poetry during the Renaissance, particularly focusing on the Second Renaissance period.

The Second Renaissance Context

• Pope Pius and the Counter-Reformation: A significant period marked by religious and cultural shifts.
• Educational Restrictions: Young people were forbidden from studying in foreign universities, and reading was carefully monitored to control the spread of ideas.

Poetic Currents of the Second Renaissance Lyric

Petrarchism

Poets following this pattern showed a strong preference for love themes, often characterized by idealized beauty and unrequited affection.

Horatian Lyric

Some authors cultivated poetry focused on moral themes. The favorite stanza form... Continue reading "Renaissance Lyric Poetry & Word Formation: A Comprehensive Study" »

Mercè Rodoreda: Life and Literary Stages

Mercè Rodoreda was self-taught. Her work is closely related to major events in her life and can be identified through three distinct stages of existence:

• The Early Works: A series of five novels that the author subsequently disavowed, with the exception of Aloma. Aloma is a psychological and symbolic work focusing on love and unhappiness, which Rodoreda reviewed and revised over the years.
• The Stage of Maturity: During this period, she published twenty-two stories and the work that consecrated her as a narrator, La Plaça del Diamant (Diamond Square). This novel follows the life and maturity process of a girl of popular origin named Natalia, utilizing the technique of interior monologue. She also wrote

The literature of the twentieth century marks the beginning of modernity. In the early twentieth century literary field, the Renaixença movement, begun in the previous century, shared the stage with Modernism and the recently appeared Noucentisme. After the civil war, a new generation of writers emerged, reflecting the vicissitudes of the postwar period and reaching the current generation of poets.

Modernist Poetry

Modernism was a cultural movement born to modernize society and its structures, showing a progressive ideology. Modernism is based on a romantic idea where the artist faces society and its economic interests, taking refuge and living solely for art. This professional dedication makes the artist a social rebel, known as the proponent... Continue reading "20th Century Catalan Poetry: Modernism to Avant-Garde" »

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" »

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC and belonged to a patrician family claiming descent from Iulus, son of Aeneas. He entered politics early, beginning his career through the established Roman system. His political life became intertwined with the general history of Rome from 60 BC when he formed the First Triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey. In 59 BC, he was appointed consul. After his consulate, he became proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul and Transalpine Gaul. In eight years, he conquered all of Gaul. He confronted Pompey and became dictator in 48 BC. Following the Civil War, he became the master of Rome. Caesar was assassinated by senators on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC.

Works

Julius Caesar's surviving works are two historical... Continue reading "Julius Caesar: Roman General and Statesman" »

Lyric Poetry: Characteristics and Forms

Key Characteristics of Lyric Poetry

• Highly subjective discourse, dominated by the emotive function of poetry.
• Expresses feelings, emotions, and ideas.
• Often focuses on a single aspect, brief in nature, and accumulates expressive resources.
• Typically occurs in verse, though works of lyrical prose (prose poetry) also exist.

Common Poetic Forms

• Popular Song: Addresses themes of love and religion, often featuring satirical monologues and a predominance of minor art forms.
• Petrarchan Song/Sonnet: Focuses on individualistic themes and adoration; often structured in multiple stanzas.
• Eclogue: Presents pastoral life and amorous affairs in a rural setting; metric structure is varied.
• Hymn: A song of praise dedicated to

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

Miguel de Unamuno: Existentialism and the Nivola

Miguel de Unamuno wrote Niebla (a "Nivola" described as an internal monologue of the protagonist that raises questions about the relationship with the author and of men with God) and San Manuel Bueno, mártir (the story of a priest who continues to exercise his priesthood after losing his faith during an existential crisis).

Pío Baroja: The Pessimistic Voice of the Generation

Pío Baroja was a pessimistic, solitary man, critical of society, and anticlerical. He defended the idea that writing is an innate talent that cannot be learned. His style is entertaining, featuring short sentences and paragraphs with fluid, credible dialogues that avoid heavy rhetoric. His work includes trilogies such as... Continue reading "Masterpieces of the Generation of 98 and Modernism" »

Ancient Greek lyric poetry encompasses a rich tapestry of forms, themes, and poetic voices. Unlike epic poetry, which focused on heroic narratives, lyric verse delved into personal experiences, emotions, and societal observations, often performed with musical accompaniment.

Key Themes in Ancient Greek Lyric Poetry

• Banquet: Themes often included sex, joy, the beauty of life, and sensual love, celebrated during symposia.
• Death: Frequently expressed through the solemn and reflective elegy form.
• Human Conduct: Addressed justice, social inequality (as seen in Solon's work), the importance of friendship, and the inherent uncertainty of human destiny.
• Satire: Portrayed loneliness and aimed for social reform through sharp wit and criticism.

Iambic Poetry: