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

1. Lyric Poetry

1.1. Popular Castilian Lyrics

As discussed previously, popular lyrics existed before the 15th century, which marks the beginning of written records. These lyrics were preserved through various songbooks of the period. These compositions are simple yet beautiful and lyrically dense. Their meter is irregular, with a tendency towards 6 to 8 syllables per line. The central theme is love.

One popular lyric form is the carol, which has the following structure:

• Opening lines forming a repeating chorus
• A stanza of 4 verses
• Two or more linking lines, one rhyming with the stanza and another with the chorus

Carols were often used in Christmas scenes. These traditional compositions were highly valued in the 17th century, with Lope de Vega incorporating... Continue reading "15th-Century Spanish Lyric Poetry: An In-Depth Look" »

Cantar de Mio Cid

Date of Composition and Authorship

Cantar de Mio Cid was written in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. Although traditionally attributed to Per Abbad, it is now believed he was merely a copyist. The current consensus is that the poem was composed by two minstrels.

Structure

The poem is divided into three parts (or "cantares"):

• Cantar del Destierro (Song of Exile)
• Cantar de las Bodas (Song of the Weddings)
• Cantar de la Afrenta de Corpes (Song of the Corpes Affront)

Metrics and Style

• Epic Epithets: Adjectives used to highlight the characteristics of the hero.
• Pleonasms: Used to give expression to the text.
• Appeals to the Audience: Used to keep the audience's attention.
• Use of Arabic expressions and particles like "Oh!"
• Frequent

Biographical Aspects

Rosalía de Castro (Santiago, 1837 – 1885), daughter of María Teresa de Castro and José Martínez Viojo, faced early challenges. A law prohibited the son of a priest from living with either parent, so young Rosalía spent her early years with an aunt in Ortoño. She lived in rural areas, which Rosalía soon reflected in her poems.

At 15 years old, she worked in Santiago, where she lived with her mother. There, she met Eduardo Pondal and Aurelio Aguirre, participating in veiled literary and musical gatherings.

In 1856, she went to Madrid where she met Manuel Murguía. They married two years later and had 7 children, 2 of whom died very young. The couple's life was full of difficulties of every kind: labor, economic, and... Continue reading "Rosalía de Castro: Life, Works, and Enduring Legacy" »

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán: Satire and Symbolism

Valle-Inclán also authored the trilogy "Mardi Gras," composed of Los cuernos de Don Friolera (Don Friolera's Horns), Las galas del difunto (The Deceased's Finery), and La hija del Capitán (The Captain's Daughter). This series offers a satirical vision of deeply ingrained Spanish themes such as honor and philandering. Additionally, he created a series of five pieces under the common denomination of "Retablo de la avaricia, la lujuria y la muerte" (Altar of Greed, Lust, and Death).

Federico García Lorca: Poetic Drama and Social Commentary

Lorca's work is not only essentially poetic due to the abundant use of verse but also because of its compelling arguments and evocative language. His recurring... Continue reading "Spanish Literary Masters: Valle-Inclán and Federico García Lorca's Dramatic Legacy" »

Classical and Enlightenment Literature

In the 17th century, while Spain was navigating a deep social, political, and economic crisis, France, under the reign of Louis XIV (the Sun King), reached its moment of maximum splendor. This literary era is characterized by rationalism and classicism.

Characteristics of Classicism

• The Cult of Reason: This movement valued reason and good taste, rejecting the fantastic and repressing the overt expression of feeling.
• A Sense of Utility: Literature was pursued for its educational and moral purpose.
• Aristocratic and Refined Character: Art was cultivated within the noble halls and the royal court.

The Age of Enlightenment

During the 18th century, known in France as the Age of Enlightenment, writers, thinkers, and... Continue reading "French Classicism and Enlightenment Literature: Rationalism to Neoclassicism" »

Miguel Hernández: Life and Early Literary Career (1910–1942)

Miguel Hernández (Orihuela, 1910 – Alicante, 1942) was a Spanish poet. His literary career began with reading the Spanish classics and entering the literary circle of El Gallo Crisis, alongside Ramón Sijé, with whom he shared a great friendship. After publishing some poems in the Orihuela newspaper, in 1933 he published his first book, Proficient in Moons (Perito en lunas), whose characteristic style resonated in literary criticism of the period.

In 1934, he moved to Madrid, facing initial difficulties. He published the auto sacramental Who Has Seen and Who Sees You and Shadow of What They Were in the journal Cruz y Raya. In 1935, The Ray That Does Not Stop appeared, composed... Continue reading "Miguel Hernández: Spanish Poet of the Civil War Era" »

Popular Narratives

Popular narratives are stories, often fictional, transmitted orally from generation to generation. They are brief and ingenious tales that often aim to entertain and convey a lesson.

Structure of Popular Narratives

• Narrative framework
• Initial event
• Actions
• Final location

Types of Popular Narratives

• Marvelous Stories: These stories feature fantastic and magical elements. Some of their characters are fairies, ogres, and witches.
• Anecdotes and Legends: These narratives are of an everyday nature.
• Myths: Myths present stories that mix the real and the imaginary. For example, a myth may involve a god and be protagonized by heroes.

Grammatical Elements

Determiners

Determiners are words that accompany nouns, specifying their gender and number.... Continue reading "Popular Narratives and Theater: Origins and Characteristics" »

The Ballad Tradition

Ballads are organized traditional stories, often associated with the life events of older generations. They can be classified as either epic or lyric poetry.

Ballads flourished primarily during the 16th and 17th centuries. Knowledge of these works varies; some are fully known, while others are only partially preserved.

It is not unusual for a single ballad to have received more than one version, and dialect variations are common.

Alegialariak: Basque Fable Writers

The phenomenon of the Alegialariak (fable writers) significantly contributes to our knowledge of literature from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Basque fable writers often undertook extensive work adapting and adjusting existing fables.

Characteristics of Fables (Alegiak)

4 — The Situation in the 1970s

4 - The situation in the 70s is different from the war because it marks the end of franquismo. Editorial initiatives facilitate the publication and dissemination of works; new literary prizes appear, censorship relaxes, and there is growing recognition of linguistic nationalities with their own languages. The writers show distinct characteristics: a break with realism, culturalism, moral and ideological transgression, and the incorporation of modern culture.

The main features of the narrators and narrative work include:

• Intimacy and lyricism: an introspective tone that inquires into identity and origins.
• Cosmopolitanism: a desire to escape a parochial vision and to recreate atmospheres from other countries.
• Rebel,

European Avant-Garde Movements (1885–1930)

Futurism (Italy)

Futurism: Futurism emerged in Italy; it first appeared in literature and then spread to other arts. Its features are:

• An exaggerated patriotism exalted.
• Celebration of machinery and technological advances.
• It is characterized by modernity, promoting the value of machinery and speed.

Themes: speed, factories, locomotives and similar motifs are central. Representative figure: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.

Expressionism (Germany)

Expression: Expressionism emerged in Germany around 1910. Expressionism is a way to protest and defend individual identity; after the First World War many refused to rejoin a society that had failed to protect ideals of peace.

Features:

• Prose and poetry that strongly express