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

Spanish Modernism

Modernism began in the late nineteenth century, originating in Latin America. Key figures who created and spread this movement include José Martí and Rubén Darío.

The most important characteristics of Modernism include:

• An aesthetic focus, always seeking beauty above all else.
• A desire to escape reality, often setting works in remote locations, both spatially and temporally.
• Frequent expression of feelings like boredom, apathy, and melancholy.
• Common use of symbolic elements.

The Generation of '98

The Generation of '98 refers to a group of authors born in the late nineteenth century whose texts addressed two main themes: the decline of Spain and existential angst. The texts of the Generation of '98 show a strong influence from... Continue reading "Authors and Themes of Spanish Modernism & Gen '98" »

First Stage

His operas are characterized by a search for his own poetic language and the conservative influence of Ramón Sijé. Perito en Lunas and El Rayo que no Cesa. The first work is 40 stanzas of influence and vanguard. The Gongorine author has to poetry as an equal to the mystical experience in which the hermetic is essential. Incorporated in the genre of poetry riddles and proposes riddles. In El Rayo que no Cesa, a previous text to poems, the underlying theme is a love that cannot be complete because moral standards prevent access to his beloved. Erotic passion, the lightning symbol conveys the passionate fire in which the lover is consumed, while the wound suggests that this conception of love causes him torture. It arouses ideas of... Continue reading "Miguel Hernández: A Journey Through His Poetic Stages" »

Spanish Poets: Lorca, Alberti, and Hernández

This document examines the lives, works, and styles of three significant Spanish poets: Federico Garcia Lorca, Rafael Alberti, and Miguel Hernández.

Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)

Lorca's work can be divided into three stages:

1. Early Stage: Characterized by intimate realism, difficult metaphors, and symbolism. Themes include passion, land, love's destruction, and shadows of paradise.
2. Post-Civil War: His writing becomes more humanistic and accessible.
3. Later Stage: A return to introspection and surrealist style, considered his most significant contribution to Spanish surrealism.

Lorca was born in Granada and tragically killed during the Spanish Civil War. His trip to New York exposed him to surrealism.... Continue reading "Spanish Poets: Lorca, Alberti, and Hernández - Life, Works, and Styles" »

Realism

Henri Beyle (Stendhal) - The Red and the Black

Honoré de Balzac - Père Goriot

Gustave Flaubert - Madame Bovary

Charles Dickens - David Copperfield

Benito Pérez Galdós: In his works, he aimed to reproduce the society of his time, encompassing all social classes. His novels can be classified as:

Thesis: Defends an idea through a Manichaean character.

Spanish-Contemporary: Reflect a corrupt world dominated by speculation.

Spiritualist: Proposes love as a solution to social problems.

Galdós aims to reflect reality in its totality.

Parnassianism

A French literary movement of the second half of the nineteenth century. It put forward the slogan of "art for art's sake," defended Greco-Roman mythology, and advocated discipline, awareness, and balance... Continue reading "19th and 20th Century Literary Movements: Realism to the Generation of '27" »

Theme 5: Post-War Literature

Characteristics of the Post-War Era

• General impoverishment
• Political regression and uniformity
• Censorship and exile
• Breaking with literary tradition
• Isolation of Portuguese culture

Cultural Institutions in Exile

Key institutions in exile, such as those in Argentina and Uruguay, preserved Portuguese cultural and political identity. These included:

• Publishing houses
• Newspapers
• Theater groups
• Literary associations

Notable authors and works from this period include Bl Love, Esmorga, Children Should Not Fall in Love, and Castelao. The Council of São Paulo functioned as a government in exile, sponsoring works like Otero Pedrayo's History in São Paulo.

Portuguese Literature Inside the Country

Two main groups of writers emerged:

• Those

Juan Ramon Jimenez: Important Chronology of Events in His Life

• 1881: Born in Moguer (Huelva).
• 1900: Moved to Madrid "to fight for modernism," invited by Villaespesa and Ruben Dario.
• 1901: Suffered a bout of depression after the death of his father. He was admitted to a mental hospital in France.
• 1905: He moved to Moguer, still living in isolation from the world, which is reflected in his book, *Platero and I*.
• 1911: Returned to Madrid, where he stayed at the Residencia de Estudiantes.
• 1916: Married Zenobia Camprubi in New York. Published *Diary of a Newlywed*. Lived in Madrid until the beginning of the Civil War.
• 1936: Left Spain.
• 1951: Settled permanently in Puerto Rico.
• 1956: Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Death of his wife.
• 1958: Died in

Santiago Cathedral: A Monument of Faith and Art

Discovery of the Tomb and Construction of the Cathedral

The Cathedral of Santiago stands as one of the most characteristic examples of pilgrimage churches. In 814, Bishop Teodomiro of Iria Flavia discovered the tomb containing the remains of the Apostle Saint James (Santiago). The construction of the present cathedral was initiated under the patronage of King Alfonso VI and Bishop Diego Pelaez, beginning in the fall of 1077, with works commencing in 1078. A series of construction campaigns followed. The first, led by Master Bernardo, lasted ten years and saw the construction of little more than the chevet. Following the removal of Bishop Pelaez, construction paused until the appointment of Diego... Continue reading "Santiago Cathedral: History and Architecture" »

The Generation of '98

The Generation of '98 is the name traditionally given to a group of Spanish writers deeply affected by the political, social, and moral crisis in Spain following the military defeat in the Spanish-American War of 1898. The loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines had a profound impact on the nation's psyche.

Key Authors

Authors who comprise this generation include:

• Miguel de Unamuno
• Pío Baroja
• Azorín
• Ramiro de Maeztu
• Antonio Machado
• Valle-Inclán

Cultural Context

The cultural scene in the early twentieth century was marked by a sense of hopelessness. Intellectuals of the late nineteenth century, led by Francisco Giner de los Ríos, founded the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Institution of Education). This institution... Continue reading "The Generation of '98: A Literary Movement in Spain" »

Great Poets of the 15th Century

Marqués de Santillana

Marqués de Santillana was the most powerful feudal lord of his era. He embodied the values and virtues that represent the courtly cult, engaging in war activities and reading classics. Of great interest is his light poetry. He excelled in grace and musicality with a refined spirit of the Renaissance. His works place him among the best poets of the 15th century.

Juan de Mena

Juan de Mena is the most important writer of high art. He is the author of Labyrinth of Fortune or The Three Hundred, a work of Dantean allegorical inspiration written in dodecasyllables.

Jorge Manrique

Jorge Manrique conjugated weapons and letters in his life. He belonged to a noble family, and his life was known only for... Continue reading "15th Century Spanish Literature: Poets and Novels" »