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

Rima XIII (Your Eyes)

The theme of Rima XIII is love. Bécquer compares the characteristics of his beloved and beautiful women with natural elements; these elements reflect his feelings and emotions.

Poetic Structure

• It consists of three quatrains, each with four verses.
• The first three verses of each stanza are hendecasyllables, while the last verse is heptasyllabic.
• The rhyme is assonance in paired lines (ea).

Imagery and Comparison

The poem focuses intensely on the beloved's eyes:

First Stanza: Laughter and the Sea

In the first verse, the poet explains that his beloved's blue eyes, when she laughs, remind him of the vibrant glow of the sea when reflected in the first rays of the sun.

Second Stanza: Tears and the Violet

In the next stanza, the poet... Continue reading "Bécquer's Rima XIII: Eye Imagery and Natural Symbolism" »

Ramon Llull and The Book of the Order of Chivalry

Ramon Llull, a medieval writer born in Majorca in the thirteenth century, explained the rules that the ideal knight must follow in his book, The Book of the Order of Chivalry. This work was highly successful throughout Europe during the Middle Ages, was translated into many languages, and was one of the first books printed in the UK in the late fifteenth century.

This work serves as a manual for a knight, detailing how he should be, think, and live, providing essential rules, instructions, and tips.

The Crusades: Historical Context of Chivalry

The Crusades were real campaigns of conquest seeking to regain lands from the Muslims and liberate territories where they resided (such as the Holy Land,... Continue reading "Medieval Chivalry and Literature: Ramon Llull to Joanot Martorell" »

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.

The Renewal of 20th Century Spanish Theater

In the early decades of the twentieth century, several attempts were made to renew the theatrical landscape. Faced with the need to engage the public, dramatists had two options:

Dramatists' Choices: Commercial vs. Innovative Theater

• Commercial Theater: Theater designed to please the public—commercial, bourgeois, and without criticism. This was sometimes called the "Triumphant Theater."
• Innovative Theater: Theater that was surprising, provocative, critical, and anti-bourgeois. This was the truly innovative path.

The Triumphant Theater (Commercial Realism)

The Triumphant Theater followed three main trends, often adhering to the realism of the nineteenth century and governed by the requirements of the public:... Continue reading "20th Century Spanish Theater: Valle-Inclán's Esperpento and Lorca's Rural Tragedy" »

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" »

Realism: Philosophical and Cultural Foundations

The early Realism art movement began to dominate, heavily influenced by philosophical Positivism. For Positivism, reality is limited to perceived facts and empirical study; other forms of research are not considered empirical. During the second half of the century, Marxism also gained significant influence.

Main Features of Realistic Literature

• Observation and accurate description of reality.
• Focus on factual representation.
• Frequent purpose of social and political criticism.
• Simple and sober style, rejecting romantic rhetoric.
• Clarity and accuracy.
• Preference for the novel form.

Characteristics of the Realistic Novel

• Likelihood: Stories are based on everyday experiences.
• Individual or Collective Protagonists:

Biography of Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958)

Born in Moguer (Huelva) in 1881, Juan Ramón Jiménez belonged to a wealthy family that owned vineyards and wineries. He studied with the Jesuits in Puerto de Santa María and later moved to Seville to study painting and begin a degree in Philosophy and Letters. From the age of fifteen, he wrote poetry and soon devoted himself fully to it.

He arrived in Madrid in 1900 and came into contact with the literary and bohemian life, but soon tired of that atmosphere and returned to Moguer before summer. The death of his father in July of that year resulted in a strong depression, leading to his admission to a mental hospital in France and later in Madrid.

In 1916, he traveled to the U.S. to marry Zenobia... Continue reading "Juan Ramón Jiménez: Nobel Laureate and Master of Spanish Modernist Poetry" »

Spanish Literature and Culture Under Francoism (1939–1975)

The Impact of Francoism on Society and Culture

The Franco regime had profound political, social, and cultural consequences for Spain. This era was marked by:

• A complete break with pre-war literary trends.
• The exile of a significant number of writers.
• A rigid censorship system designed to control the political and social situation.

The Evolution of the Spanish Novel (1939–1990s)

Literature of Exile (Post-1939)

Themes: Nostalgia for Spain, and the causes and consequences of the Civil War.

• Ramón Sender: Crónica del alba
• Max Aub: El laberinto mágico (The Magic Labyrinth)

Magic-Existential Novel (The 1940s)

This period focused on themes of panic and existential angst.

• Camilo José Cela: La familia

Early Life and Education

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the renowned writer and glory of Spanish letters, was born on September 29, 1547, in Alcalá de Henares, Madrid. He was the son of surgeon Rodrigo de Cervantes and Leonor de Cortinas.

When he was four years old, his family moved to Valladolid, a city where the Royal Court of Spain, under Philip II, was then settled. In 1561, the court relocated to Madrid, and Cervantes' family also moved there.

Little is known about Miguel's early educational experiences during his childhood and adolescence. However, it is believed he attended what we would now call a university. It is known that he attended a Jesuit school, though the specific city is unknown; it is suspected to have been during his stay... Continue reading "Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra: A Literary Journey" »