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

Miguel Hernández: A Poetic Connection to Nature

Miguel Hernández, from his early years, developed a profound connection with living nature, which granted him his first insights into life. His opening lines reflect the ripples of a teenager who sought to transfer to paper the simplest, everyday events of life—those he observed daily. His work, therefore, speaks of sensory poetry, visual and audible manifestations that reveal the close connection between Miguel Hernández's poetic craft and daily life.

Everyday Poetry and Influences

This type of poetry can be described as "everyday," as if written through his very eyes. His focus is on the landscape of Orihuela and a modernism that echoes the styles of Vicente Medina and the bucolic manners... Continue reading "Miguel Hernández's Poetic Nature: Themes and Imagery" »

Poetry in the Diaspora: Luís Seoane (1910-1979)

Painter, muralist, designer, poet, playwright, Luís Seoane began to excel in his academics in Compostela. He joined the *Federación Universitaria Escolar* in 1933 and settled in Madrid as a labor lawyer. He fled to Portugal and from there embarked for Buenos Aires.

Merits:

• a) Articles published in several Argentine newspapers. He directed and collaborated with several magazines of the local Galician community: *Follas Novas*, the magazine of "Centro Gallego" and *Buenos Aires*, the newspaper *El Correo de Galicia* and *Galicia Literaria*.
• b) Edited several artistic works: 13 prints of the cartoons *Galicia Mártir*, *Atila en Galicia*, *Milicianos*, and *Estampas de la traición*, with Franco's

Spanish Poetry Since 1940

The consequences of the civil war included a break with past trends, the exile of many poets (literature speaks of two groups: inner and exile), censorship preventing poets from expressing themselves freely, and isolation from European literary and artistic movements.

Poetry of Exile

Different cases:

• Antonio Machado died a few days before leaving Spain.
• Poets of the Generation of '14, like Juan Ramón Jiménez.
• Poets from the Generation of '27: some died, like Lorca, others went into exile.

Common topics include the theme of the lost homeland. Their poems evoke struggle, illusions, and a tone of desperation and bitter nostalgia. Spanish evocation of distant lands and the craving to return. The styles are varied (Juan Gil... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry: From Civil War to Modern Avant-Garde" »

Jacinto Verdaguer (1845-1902) (second half of the 19th century)

This author represents the consolidation of Renaixença poetry and is considered the creator of modern Catalan literature. He became so popular that his poems were learned in schools, and some even became popular songs.

The work of Verdaguer includes poetry and prose, and he alternated between Castilian and Catalan in his writings, producing all his work in Catalan.

Born into a peasant family, he entered the seminary to begin his ecclesiastical career and started to familiarize himself with European culture and Greco-Roman influences. He alternated his studies with farm work and developed an enthusiasm for the popular culture of his rural upbringing (tales, legends, etc.).

After being... Continue reading "Jacinto Verdaguer: Pioneer of Modern Catalan Literature" »

Isabel Allende's Literary Style

On the literary plane, Isabel Allende's writing recreates a place and an era, allowing characters and story to emerge organically, without an initial plot plan. Several of her books have been born from letters and personal reflections; The House of the Spirits and Paula are prime examples of this. She composed Paula as a tribute to her daughter, indicating it is more a memoir than a biography. Humor is an integral part of her writings, whether journalistic or literary works. Allende attempted to reach young readers with The City of Beasts (2002), a book that allowed her a break and the freedom to capture their imagination in a new way.

The Post-Boom: New Latin American Narrative

Isabel Allende's work has been pigeonholed... Continue reading "Isabel Allende's Influence on Post-Boom Latin American Literature" »

Innovations in Spanish Renaissance Lyric Poetry

The new poetic canon not only renewed the themes but also the manner of expression. Compared to the medieval dodecasyllabic and octosyllabic meters characteristic of traditional songs, the Renaissance popularized the hendecasyllable, which became the most representative meter of learned poetry. The hendecasyllable was often combined with the seven-syllable form in poetic structures such as the lira, silvas, and estancias, all widely used in Renaissance lyric poetry, along with the tercet and quatrain.

Beautiful compositions were written by prominent figures like Garcilaso de la Vega, Fray Luis de León, and San Juan de la Cruz. Garcilaso notably incorporated the Castilian lira (7a 11B 7a 7b 11B)... Continue reading "Renaissance Spanish Lyric: Forms, Figures, and Spirituality" »

Carles Riba

Carles Riba was a prominent Catalan writer who collaborated with Eugenio d'Ors. He was known for his Greek and Latin translations and also contributed to the Catalan dictionary. He traveled extensively to expand his knowledge. His work encompassed poetry, translation, and criticism.

Riba's literary career can be divided into four stages:

• 1st stage: Personal expression and the search for personal identity.
• 2nd stage: Formal, chamber-like style.
• 3rd stage: Metaphysical and civilian themes.
• 4th stage: Religious poetry.

Josep M. de Sagarra

Josep M. de Sagarra became involved with the Noucentisme movement, although his works are not strictly within this style. He embraced various genres:

• Poetry: Including opera (works written in verse), epic

Juan Ramón Jiménez: On the Path of Poetry

The poetry of Juan Ramón Jiménez, which spans until the mid-twentieth century, has undergone a profound evolution.

Early Works (Intimate or Sensitive Period)

The first stage is characterized by a feeling of melancholy. Aestheticism and decadence are present in his early works, such as Nympheas and Almas de Violeta (1900), with themes such as nostalgia, the presence of death, and the pursuit of something mysterious. Symbolism is evident in Arias Tristes (1903) and Jardines Lejanos (1904). Modernism influenced him after his return to Moguer. Notable works include: Las Hojas Verdes (1905), La Soledad Sonora (1911), Poesía Mágica y Doliente (1911), and Laberinto (1913).

The Change (Intellectual Era)

Two... Continue reading "Evolution of Juan Ramón Jiménez's and Antonio Machado's Poetry" »

Literature Manuscripts

• Cotton Vitellius: Beowulf, Judith, 3 prose poems
• Junius Manuscript: Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, Christ and Satan
• Exeter Book: Christ, Juliana, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, Widsith, Deor, and other short pieces
• Vercelli Book: Andreas, The Fates of the Apostles, Address of the Soul to the Body, The Dream of the Rood, Elene

These four manuscripts contain approximately 30,000 lines of poetry, along with prose translations, religious instruction, and historical records. The Cotton Vitellius is in the British Museum, London. The Junius Manuscript is in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The Exeter Book is in Exeter Cathedral. The Vercelli Book is in the Library of Vercelli Cathedral, Northern Italy.

Heroic Poetry

Heroic poetry connects us... Continue reading "Anglo-Saxon Literature: Manuscripts and Heroic Poetry" »

Evolutionary Theories

From Fixism to Darwinism

Understanding the origin and evolution of species is essential to understanding their characteristics and behavior. Historically, two main theories have attempted to explain the diversity of life: fixism and evolutionism.

Fixism

Fixism, proposed by Georges Cuvier (1769-1832), posits that all species are independent and have remained unchanged since their creation.

Evolutionism

Evolutionism, in contrast, suggests that the universe and life, in all their manifestations, are the product of development. The diversity of species is the result of change and adaptation over time. The concept of evolutionism began to take shape in the 19th century, with its roots in the 18th-century theory of transformism, timidly... Continue reading "Darwin and the Evolution of Species: A Comprehensive Look" »