Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Latin

Odysseus' Adventures: A First-Person Account

My Journey After the Trojan War

I, Odysseus, stand before you in the court of King Alcinous, to recount my adventures since the end of the Trojan War. These tales have become popular, sung in many songs. They tell of the Cyclops Polyphemus, the enchantress Circe, who turns men into animals, and the Sirens with their misleading songs. Finally, in the thirteenth year, the narrative returns to a chronological order, and I reach Ithaca.

The Heroic Ideal in Homer's Epics

The human ideal in Homer's epics is characteristic of the aristocracy. The characters are heroes or noble kings, and their morale is competitive. The agonistic behavior of the individual is based on the recognition of their merits by others.... Continue reading "Odysseus' Adventures: A First-Person Account in Alcinous' Court" »

17th-Century Spanish Prose

Picaresque Novel

In the early 17th century, pessimistic literature emerged, reflecting social and satirical disappointment. Works like Guzmán de Alfarache (Mateo Alemán) and El Buscón (Francisco de Quevedo) showcase a moralistic shift. The rogue's role diminished, as seen in The Life of Squire Marcos of Obregón (Vicente Espinel) and La Pícara Justina.

Lucianesco Tales

Inspired by picaresque realism, Lucianesco tales incorporate magical elements and imaginative developments while maintaining a moral and critical worldview. Examples include Los Sueños (The Dreams) and El Diablo Cojuelo (The Devil on Two Sticks) by Quevedo and Luis Vélez de Guevara, respectively.

The Novella

These short stories, set in large cities,... Continue reading "17th-Century Spanish Literature: Picaresque to Religious Prose" »

Avant-Garde

In 1910 came the so-called avant-garde or "isms," which include: Creationism, of Hispanic origin, sought to create reality within the work itself, and Surrealism, of French origin, was intended to express emotions and subconscious thoughts.

The New Novel of the Century

Prominent authors include Marcel Proust, Franz Kafka, and James Joyce.

Novecentismo

In the second decade of the twentieth century, there emerged a group known as the "Generation of '14," who were known for their intellectualism, their eagerness for Europe, and their search for pure art. The chief representative is Juan Ramón Jiménez, who wrote poetry.

Novecentista Novel

It is characterized by lyrical descriptive passages and the presence of essayistic elements. These works... Continue reading "Spanish and Latin American Literary Movements: 19th and 20th Centuries" »

Renaissance: New Ideas

• Appreciation of human beings: Anthropocentrism and individualism
• Critical spirit
• New force of classical culture
• New conception of the state: The Prince by Machiavelli
• New forms of social relations: Bourgeoisie (new values: wealth and economic power)
• Crisis of traditional morality

Restoration of Books - Poetry

• Italian influence
• Metric renewal: Hendecasyllables and seven syllables; lira, triplets, octavas reales, estancias or silvas
• New genres: Song, eclogue, epistle
• New topics: Love, nature, myths

First Half of the 16th Century: Garcilaso de la Vega

• Themes: Love, nature, mythology
• Works: Sonnets, songs, elegies, epistles, and 3 eclogues

Second Half of the 16th Century: Mystical Poetry

Fray Luis de Leon

• Themes: Rustic loneliness, desire

Joaquim Ruyra: Life and Literary Contributions

Joaquim Ruyra was born in Girona on September 27, 1858, and died in Barcelona on May 15, 1939. He was a Catalan writer, considered one of the greatest storytellers of the modern 20th century. Heir to rural properties in Blanes, his father was a lawyer in Girona, where Ruyra studied at the seminary of St. Martin. After attending the Institut Street Force in 1873, he participated in the Carlist War.

A narrator and writer of the Art Nouveau era, Ruyra was recognized by J. F. He collaborated with several magazines. In 1919, he published The Stop, and in 1931, he published The Copla. The government commissioned him to write the biography of Ramon Turró.

Ruyra's Major Works

Poetry:

• The Land of Plenty, 1906
• Ventises-

The Popular Lyric: The conversation in popular lyrics was often captured in songbooks of the era. A common lyrical form is the Christmas carol.

Carol Structure

Carols typically feature opening lines that are partially or wholly repeated as a refrain. They usually have four or more verses. Two lines often rhyme: one with the refrain and another, called the back line, with the chorus.

Carols were used in performances on biblical themes.

The Romance

The romance form, with its series of eight-syllable lines in rhyming pairs (assonance in even lines), originates from epic verses. Both primitive and minstrel romances, created in the 15th century, are part of the old ballads. They are lyrical-epic in character and cover a variety of topics, including historical... Continue reading "Spanish Renaissance Poetry: Forms, Themes, and Key Authors" »

Theater in the 20th Century Before 1936

Commercial Theater

1. Trends

1.1. Commercial Theater: No Frills

1.2. Authors and Works

• Jacinto Benavente: *The Unloved*
• Carlos Arniches: *The Chiefs*
• Serafín and Joaquín Álvarez Quintero: *The Cain Theater Renovation*

Theater Renovation

1. Features

2. Authors and Works

• Valle-Inclán: *Luces de Bohemia*
• Lorca: *Blood Wedding*

Overview: In the theater before the Civil War, there were two main trends: commercial theater and theater renovation. The commercial theater included more conventional works that catered to the public's tastes of the time, such as comedies of bourgeois atmosphere (e.g., *Autumn Roses*) and rural melodramas (e.g., *The Unloved*) by Jacinto Benavente. Modern literature included Carlos Arniches... Continue reading "Spanish Theater Pre-Civil War: Key Figures and Works" »

Roman Theater: Origins and Characteristics

Theater emerged in Rome after the epic period and just before the lyric period. Although several theatrical genres were cultivated, comedy was the most triumphant. Representative authors of Roman comedy include Plautus and Terence.

Roman Comedy: Influences and Types

Roman comedy draws heavily on Greek comedy, adapting themes and character types to Roman customs. Different types of comedy include:

• Fabula Palliata: Characterized by a Greek setting. Actors wore the Greek costume, called pallium in Rome.
• Fabula Togata: Featured a Roman setting and characters dressed in the Roman toga.

Plays could be classified as:

• Motoriae (busy)
• Statariae (calmer)
• Mixtae (a combination of both)

Plautus: Master of Roman Comedy

Plautus... Continue reading "Roman Theater and Comedy: Plautus and Terence" »

Ramón María de Valle-Inclán: Literary Analysis

Ramón María de Valle-Inclán's literary output is usually divided into two stages:

1. The modernist sense, aristocratic conception paradigm of English Parnassian of "Art for Art's sake."
2. The *noventayochistas* and grotesque (for his critical spirit and patriotic themes).

Modernist Works: Sonatas

The trilogy of novels of the Carlist War is formed by The Crusaders in the Cause, The Glow of the Fire, and Bigwigs of the Past (+ modernist features grotesque).

*Noventayochistas* Works

Tirano Banderas, a historical novel about the fall of a Hispanic dictator. The Iberian Ring, an incomplete trilogy, a historical theme.

Sonatas

A major constituent of his novels is *Sonatas*, containing the alleged memories of... Continue reading "Valle-Inclán's Literary Stages, Works, and Themes" »

The Theater of Postwar (Since 1939)

The theater experienced a general crisis after the war. Authors were scarce and suffered from strict censorship. The public and employers were not willing to embrace innovation, which led to a reduction in drama.

Triumphant Theater

It proposes a clear continuity with dramatic forms and themes from before the Civil War. High comedy is benaventina, does not innovate, and does not have a provision for a clear trend of rupture. It shows humorous theater. The most prominent representatives are Enrique Jardiel Poncela and Miguel Mihura.

Committed Theater

In the late 1940s, with the premiere of Historia de una Escalera by Antonio Buero Vallejo, an inflection occurs in the course of postwar theater. It breaks with the... Continue reading "Postwar Theater and 20th Century American Literature" »