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

Modernism: A Late 19th Century Literary Movement

Modernism emerged at the end of the 19th century in Europe and America. It encompassed renovating currents opposed to the aesthetics and attitudes of realism. Modernism, a stream of artistic and literary renewal, developed in the late 19th century, representing a break with the aesthetics of realism. It received influences from French movements in the second half of the 19th century:

• Parnassianism: Striving for formal perfection (art for art's sake), disregarding feelings, and focusing on beauty.
• Symbolism: Seeking meaning in reality through the use of symbols.

Modernism is considered to have begun with the publication of Azul by Ruben Dario in 1888. Other notable authors include Francisco Villaespesa,... Continue reading "Modernism and the Generation of '98: Literary Movements in Spain" »

Celestite

Authorship

Attributed primarily to Fernando de Rojas, with Act I possibly by Rodrigo de Cota. Initially 16 acts, later expanded to 21.

Editions

• 1^st Edition (1499-1500): Untitled, also known as Comedia de Melibea. Contains 16 acts and annotations, including an acrostic verse prologue.
• 2^nd Edition (1502): Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, with 21 acts.
• 3^rd Edition: Mid-16^th century, titled La Celestina.

Genre

Debated between:

• a) Play: Division into acts, absence of a narrator, action driven by dialogue, specific time and place setting.
• b) Dialogue Novel: Length and complexity make it difficult to stage.

Structure

• Act I: Introduction to the action.
• Acts II-XII: Development of conflict between characters.
• Acts XIII-XX: Development of Calisto and Melibea'

Innovation in Renaissance Lyric Poetry

This section delves into the evolution of lyric poetry during the Renaissance, particularly focusing on the Second Renaissance period.

The Second Renaissance Context

• Pope Pius and the Counter-Reformation: A significant period marked by religious and cultural shifts.
• Educational Restrictions: Young people were forbidden from studying in foreign universities, and reading was carefully monitored to control the spread of ideas.

Poetic Currents of the Second Renaissance Lyric

Petrarchism

Poets following this pattern showed a strong preference for love themes, often characterized by idealized beauty and unrequited affection.

Horatian Lyric

Some authors cultivated poetry focused on moral themes. The favorite stanza form... Continue reading "Renaissance Lyric Poetry & Word Formation: A Comprehensive Study" »

Mercè Rodoreda: Life and Literary Stages

Mercè Rodoreda was self-taught. Her work is closely related to major events in her life and can be identified through three distinct stages of existence:

• The Early Works: A series of five novels that the author subsequently disavowed, with the exception of Aloma. Aloma is a psychological and symbolic work focusing on love and unhappiness, which Rodoreda reviewed and revised over the years.
• The Stage of Maturity: During this period, she published twenty-two stories and the work that consecrated her as a narrator, La Plaça del Diamant (Diamond Square). This novel follows the life and maturity process of a girl of popular origin named Natalia, utilizing the technique of interior monologue. She also wrote

The literature of the twentieth century marks the beginning of modernity. In the early twentieth century literary field, the Renaixença movement, begun in the previous century, shared the stage with Modernism and the recently appeared Noucentisme. After the civil war, a new generation of writers emerged, reflecting the vicissitudes of the postwar period and reaching the current generation of poets.

Modernist Poetry

Modernism was a cultural movement born to modernize society and its structures, showing a progressive ideology. Modernism is based on a romantic idea where the artist faces society and its economic interests, taking refuge and living solely for art. This professional dedication makes the artist a social rebel, known as the proponent... Continue reading "20th Century Catalan Poetry: Modernism to Avant-Garde" »

Jarchas

In 1948, short poems written in the Mozarabic dialect were discovered, mixing Arabic and Hebrew words. The jarxa was the final strophic composition of an extensive amorous poem called the moaxaja. Each final stanza of the poem included a chorus in the Mozarabic dialect.

Structure and Content

Its structure is very simple, and the poems are short, utilizing parallelistic lines. Its contents often revolve around the pain of a friend or loved one, which the maiden expresses to her mother or sister. Expressive resources are equally simple, featuring many questions and the vocative mood.

Castilian Popular Lyric

While no texts were kept prior to the fifteenth century, there is no doubt they existed. The most important collected works are known... Continue reading "Medieval Spanish Lyric Poetry: Jarchas, Courtly and Popular Verse" »

Renaissance Literature in Spain

The Renaissance

The Renaissance, the historical period following the Middle Ages, originated in Italy and spread throughout Europe. This era exalted earthly life and embraced vitalism, epitomized by the phrase carpe diem. Knowledge became a means of human improvement, giving rise to humanism. Renaissance values, particularly among the bourgeoisie, were disseminated through the printing press. The Renaissance individual sought direct communication.

Renaissance Poetry

Garcilaso de la Vega

Garcilaso de la Vega's small body of work (38 sonnets and 3 eclogues) focuses almost exclusively on love. To express his feelings, he often employs classical mythology and the literary motif of the locus amoenus. Garcilaso introduced... Continue reading "Spanish Renaissance Literature: Poets and Prose" »

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC and belonged to a patrician family claiming descent from Iulus, son of Aeneas. He entered politics early, beginning his career through the established Roman system. His political life became intertwined with the general history of Rome from 60 BC when he formed the First Triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey. In 59 BC, he was appointed consul. After his consulate, he became proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul and Transalpine Gaul. In eight years, he conquered all of Gaul. He confronted Pompey and became dictator in 48 BC. Following the Civil War, he became the master of Rome. Caesar was assassinated by senators on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC.

Works

Julius Caesar's surviving works are two historical... Continue reading "Julius Caesar: Roman General and Statesman" »

Lyric Poetry: Characteristics and Forms

Key Characteristics of Lyric Poetry

• Highly subjective discourse, dominated by the emotive function of poetry.
• Expresses feelings, emotions, and ideas.
• Often focuses on a single aspect, brief in nature, and accumulates expressive resources.
• Typically occurs in verse, though works of lyrical prose (prose poetry) also exist.

Common Poetic Forms

• Popular Song: Addresses themes of love and religion, often featuring satirical monologues and a predominance of minor art forms.
• Petrarchan Song/Sonnet: Focuses on individualistic themes and adoration; often structured in multiple stanzas.
• Eclogue: Presents pastoral life and amorous affairs in a rural setting; metric structure is varied.
• Hymn: A song of praise dedicated to

Mario Vargas Llosa: Life and Major Themes

Mario Vargas Llosa is one of the most important Latin American writers of the twentieth century. He belongs to the group of writers that includes Jorge Luis Borges, Gabriel García Márquez, Julio Cortázar, Carlos Fuentes, and others who have shaped Latin American literature and made it known worldwide. Vargas Llosa remains very active; this is demonstrated by works such as The Notebooks of Don Rigoberto, Paradise in the Other Corner, and especially The Feast of the Goat, which are among his most significant works and include writings from the early 21st century.

Early Life and Education

Vargas Llosa was born in Peru in 1936. He studied at the Colegio Militar Leoncio Prado in Lima, an experience reflected... Continue reading "Mario Vargas Llosa: Novels, Themes and Controversies" »