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

Publication and Initial Context

Luces de bohemia was first published in the journal España in 1920 and appeared in 1924 in book form with some modifications. Valle's intent is not to recreate specific historical facts; the work cannot be placed in a single given year, but rather captures the atmosphere of an era. The play presents a concrete historical and social picture within a specific time and space. The action takes place over a single, 'unreal' day, encompassing social unrest and repression.

Historical and Literary References

Characters, institutions, and events highlight the crisis of '98 and the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. Despite the short timeframe of the work, there are many historical and literary references that do not strictly... Continue reading "Context of Valle-Inclán's Luces de Bohemia" »

Federico García Lorca (Fuente Vaqueros, Granada province, June 5, 1898 - Víznar, August 19, 1936) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and prose writer, also known for his skill in many arts. Assigned to the so-called Generation of '27, he is the most influential and popular poet of 20th-century Spanish literature. He was executed after the military uprising of the Spanish Civil War, due to his affinity with the Popular Front and for being openly homosexual.

Lorca's Poetic Evolution

Early Works and Modernist Touches

The first stage involves his production until 1927. Apart from the original Book of Poems (1921), which shows a touch of modernism, it includes First Songs (1922), Suites (1926), Songs (1927), some Odes, Gypsy Ballads (1928), and Poema

Pío Baroja: Life and Personality

Born in San Sebastián in 1872, Pío Baroja studied medicine in Madrid but soon left his practice as a doctor. He published his first books in 1900.

• Until 1911, he published 17 novels, constituting the most important part of his production.
• His fame was consolidated: His life became increasingly sedentary. In 1935, he joined the Royal Academy. The Spanish Civil War surprised him in the Basque Country, from where he went to France. In 1940, he settled again in Madrid. He died in 1956.
• He was a man of lonely and bitter mood.
• He was pessimistic about man and the world. However, he could feel tenderness for deprived or marginalized beings.

This complete and utter sincerity is a fundamental feature of his temperament.... Continue reading "Pío Baroja: Life, Works, and Influence on Spanish Literature" »

The Generation of '27 After the Spanish Civil War

The poets of the Generation of '27 first introduced new human themes, such as love. Some poets, driven by social concerns, became interested in politics. After the Civil War, the poetic group fractured. Federico García Lorca was shot in 1936, and the rest of the group dispersed. The exiled poets included Luis Cernuda, Rafael Alberti, Pedro Salinas, and Jorge Guillén. In their production, the subject of the lost homeland appears repeatedly.

In Spain, only Gerardo Diego, Dámaso Alonso, and Vicente Aleixandre remained, writing poetry focused on existential anguish.

Jorge Guillén

Work: Aire Nuestro

Guillén's major work, Aire Nuestro, mirrors the life and work of Juan Ramón Jiménez. This extensive... Continue reading "The Generation of '27: Post-Civil War Poetry, Exile, and Existential Anguish" »

Ramon Llull

In 1263, as described in his autobiography, Vita coaetanea, Ramon Llull had a series of visions of Jesus Christ crucified, which led him to dedicate his life to the following:

• Writing works to disseminate Christian doctrine.
• Founding schools to teach his philosophical system, as well as Arabic and other Oriental languages.
• Undertaking apostolic trips to convert people.

Ramon Llull's Works

Llull developed a philosophical system known as the Art, which sought to establish a relationship between reason (philosophy) and faith (truth).

Religious, Educational, and Moral Works:

• Book of Contemplation (an encyclopedic work preceding the Art)
• Poetry that includes the mystical theme in poetic prose.
• Novels intended for readers to understand and serve

Understanding Subordinate and Coordinated Clauses

Subordinate Noun Clauses

• Subject: Introduced by the conjunction "que" and requires agreement.
• Direct Object (CD): Can be replaced by a noun phrase (NP) or pronouns like "lo, la, los, las."
• Adverbial (CRV - Complemento de Régimen Verbal/Circunstancial): Introduced by "que" preceded by another preposition. May be substituted by "que," "quien," "cual," or "donde."
• Noun Complement (CN): Introduced by "que" usually preceded by a preposition.
• Adjective Complement (CAdj): Appears before the substantive as an adjective.

Coordinated Clauses

• Copulative: Joined by conjunctions like "and," "nor."
• Disjunctive: Joined by conjunctions like "or," "either...or."
• Adversative: Joined by conjunctions like "but."

Adjectival

El Cantar de Mio Cid: Intertextuality and Orality

Type of Text

El Cantar de Mio Cid is an epic poem that recounts the great deeds of the Cid.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is the phenomenon of connections between different texts. It can be between literary and non-literary works. It may appear in different ways: appointment, allusion, imitation, parody, comment, or processing. To recognize them, the reader should have some literary competence that allows them to relate the texts.

El Cantar de Mio Cid (12th Century)

Castilla (20th Century)

Signs of Orality in El Cantar de Mio Cid

• Appeals to the public: The poem takes into account the audience.
• Statement by the minstrel in the narrative: The minstrel includes commentary.
• Direct speech: The story is updated

Jacinto Verdaguer: Catalan Renaissance Poet

Jacinto Verdaguer (Folgueroles, 17 May 1845 - Vallvidrera, 10 June 1902) is one of the greatest poets in Catalan literature and the foremost exponent of the Catalan Renaissance. Bishop Torras i Bages called him the Prince of Poets. He was also known as Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer, reflecting his status as a priest.

Ausiàs March: Valencian Golden Age Poet

Ausiàs March (Gandia, Safor, 1400 - Valencia, March 3, 1459) was a medieval Valencian poet and knight. Born into a family of minor nobility with poetic interests, he became one of the most important poets of the Valencian Golden Age and Catalan literature.

Guillem de Berguedà: Prolific Troubadour

Guillem de Berguedà is the troubadour from whom more texts... Continue reading "Catalan Literary Titans: Poets and Writers" »

Literary Devices: Hyperbaton and Epithet

Understanding Hyperbaton

Hyperbaton is a figure of speech that dramatically alters the logical order of words in a sentence. In the Castilian language, phrases are often constructed in ways that allow for such alterations, emphasizing certain elements or creating a specific rhythm.

Defining Epithet

An epithet (from Greek epithetos, 'added' or 'aggregate') is an adjective or participle that highlights an intrinsic characteristic of a noun. Examples include:

• "cold" in "cold snow"
• "heat" from "hot fire"
• "moisture" in "wet water"

Epithets frequently accompany names of deities, kings, and historical figures, such as:

• Athena "Parthenos" (Athena "the Virgin")
• Alexander "the Great"
• Alfonso X "el Sabio" (Alfonso X "the