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Spanish Literature in the 15th Century

1. Poetry in the 15th Century

Along with the traditional song, another way of oral transmission developed: poesía de romancero. Learned poetry brought new themes and poetic styles, as seen in the songbooks. First, troubadour poetry of courtly love appeared. In the second stage of this era, poetry developed moral issues.

Romances

Romances are a large, old collection of poems that began to be composed in the 14th century. They were collected and published in the 16th century. The sung ballads are narrative poems of oral transmission with varied topics. Many are epic ballads that sing of heroic episodes involving great gentlemen like El Cid. There are also lyrical and loving themes. From the end of the 14th... Continue reading "Spanish Literature in the 15th Century: Poetry, Romances, and Celestina" »

Classification of Literary Expression

Prose and Verse

Literary expression is classified through prose and verse. Prose uses natural language to express concepts, while verse is the artistic expression of language that meets aesthetic needs. Its rhythm is marked by pauses, creating a measured flow.

Literary Genres

Literary genres are the fundamental models for structuring literary texts. Each genre can present diverse works, and realizations of the same genre can reflect the characteristics of a particular age.

Lyrical Genre

Lyrical texts present a subjective view from an intimate perspective. Experiences and feelings prevail, emphasizing the expressive and poetic functions of language. The most common vehicle of expression is the lyric verse.

Subgenres

History of Civil Engineering

One could argue that engineering began when humans started creating tools for everyday life. Early humans used basic engineering principles to obtain food, create clothing, and develop defensive weapons such as axes, spearheads, and hammers. The development of engineering significantly advanced with the agricultural revolution (8000 BC) when nomadic tribes transitioned to cultivating crops and raising livestock.

By 4000 BC, settlements along the Nile, Euphrates, and Indus rivers saw the rise of civilization and the development of writing.

Until relatively recently, the term "architect" encompassed individuals with expertise in architecture, structural engineering, geology, and hydraulics, primarily for military construction.... Continue reading "Civil Engineering: A Historical Perspective" »

Song of Exile

El Cid is banished by King Alfonso VI because some envious individuals have accused him of keeping a portion of the taxes collected from Andalusia. He leaves his wife, Jimena, and daughters in the Monastery of Cárdena. Soon after, he begins his military campaigns against the Moors, operating from Teruel to Zaragoza. The conquest culminates with the liberation of the Count of Barcelona, whom El Cid had previously taken prisoner.

Song of the Wedding

El Cid continues his military activities, reaching the Mediterranean and conquering Valencia. He then begs the King to allow Jimena and his daughters to join him in the city. El Cid shows off his conquered lands, having become rich and powerful. Because of this, the Infantes of Carrión... Continue reading "El Cid: Exile, Battles, and Legacy in Medieval Spain" »

Spanish Poetry After the War

1. Poetry in Exile loses contact with the renewal of the years preceding the war. The themes are common to all of them (parental loss, memories, longing to return, etc.), and really care about the land where you live. The existential perspective of life predominates, and the style is more casual and conversational.

2. Spanish Poetry After the War: The process of rehumanization, pulled down in '27, will continue after the war. It is not entirely true for poetry that was cultivated in our country in the '40s and '50s. The poetry scene is divided into:

• Rooted Poetry: A group of authors with a bright, coherent, and orderly vision of the world. The so-called creative Youth (contrary to the negative approach of the rest

Generation of '27

In the 1920s, a group of outstanding poets emerged, renewing Spanish poetry of the twentieth century. This group, often associated with the tribute to Góngora's tercentenary, included Jorge Guillén, Salinas, Alberti, Lorca, Dámaso Alonso, Gerardo Diego, Cernuda, Aleixandre, Manuel Altolaguirre, and Emilio Prados. They aimed to renew poetic language, influenced by modern and avant-garde traditions. Characteristics adopted by the Generation of '27 included intellectual poetry, hermeticism, minority appeal, originality, and self-sufficiency of art. They used free verse and metaphors.

Stages:

1. Up to 1927: Influence of Juan Ramón and 'pure' poetry.
2. Until 1939: Stage of maturity, re-humanization of poetry.
3. Emerging poets and exile

17th-Century Spanish Theater

Religious Theater

Manifested through mystery plays, short allegorical pieces presented within religious ceremonies, often depicting abstract figures and themes like the Eucharist or communion.

Court Theater

Performed in palace gardens or halls, particularly during Philip IV's reign. Set design innovations allowed for spectacular special effects in mythological or fantastical comedies.

Structure of Plays

Plays began with a celebratory opening, followed by the first act. An interlude separated the first and second acts. Singing or a short greeting introduced the third act, concluding with a farce.

Lope de Vega

Poetry and Narrative

A skilled poet with a natural and accessible style. He wrote traditional lyric poetry, sonnets,... Continue reading "17th-Century Spanish Theater: Lope de Vega & Calderón de la Barca" »

Spanish Ballads: Origins and Evolution

Ballads are brief epic-lyrical compositions, often accompanied by an instrument. Early romances date back to the fifteenth century. These compositions were anonymous and transmitted alongside the chanson de geste.

Metrical Structure of Ballads

They typically consist of a limited number of 8-syllable verses, rhyming in assonance in pairs. The odd-numbered lines are often unrhymed.

Categories of Spanish Ballads

• Historical Ballads:

  Addressing themes similar to epic poems. For example, the ballads of Bernardo del Carpio and The Seven Infantes of Lara.

• Border Ballads:

  Focusing on issues related to border warfare between Moors and Christians. Many depict forbidden love affairs between a Christian and a Moor.

• Lyric

What is an Editorial?

An editorial is an argumentative text that explains and assesses a significant journalistic event.

Characteristics of an Editorial

• Authorship: The editorial is an unsigned text that aims to show a collective opinion.
• Theme: Must be current and relevant, often linked to politics, economics, etc.
• Function: To explain the fundamentals of its subject matter.
• Status: Appears in a prominent place in the opinion section of a medium.
• Adequacy: Must be suitable for the speaker's communicative intentions, the situation in which it develops, and the relationship between all parties involved.
• Coherence: Must be organized and arranged according to a major theme from which secondary ideas arise.
• Cohesion: Its components must be connected by

Origins of Catalan Literature

Catalan literature emerged from Vulgar Latin in the 12th century. The earliest known texts include legal judgments from the 12th century and the Homilies of Organyà (sermons).

Medieval Catalan Literature (13th-15th Centuries)

From the 13th to the 15th centuries, Catalan literary works achieved a high standard compared to other Romance languages. Scribes were significantly influenced by Occitan poets of the 15th century.

Prose in Medieval Catalan Literature

• Religious and Moral Prose: Notable figures like Ramon Llull and Vincent Ferrer produced numerous works rich in lexical and syntactical complexity, revealing a deep Christian rhetorical culture.
• Narrative Background: This genre encompassed historical accounts, personal