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Prereality in Spanish Literature

Prereality began in 1849 with the publication of La Gaviota by Fernán Caballero (1796-1877), pseudonym of Cecilia Böhl de Faber.

Prereality novels have a costumbrista tone and a moralizing purpose, as shown in La Gaviota, which recounts the eventful love life of a young woman. She symbolizes the protagonist's transformation within the society of the time and vindicates traditional values. Prereality authors did not delve deeply into psychological analysis or social criticism; instead, they preferred colorful and picturesque detail and the defense of traditional values.

The chief representative of the Prereality current is Pedro Antonio de Alarcón (1833-1891), author of short stories and novels. In his most famous... Continue reading "Spanish Literature: Prereality and Realism" »

Spanish Literature in the Early 20th Century

Key Authors and Movements

José Martínez Ruiz (Azorín)

Works: Towns, Route of Don Quixote, Castilla, Clásicos. Apart from these, he shows his personal style, characterized by simplicity and precision, along with the employment of short sentences and a wealth of lexicon. His three fundamental issues are time and meditations on the transience of things, the landscape of Spain (described with great lyricism and emotion), and literature.

Pío Baroja

A constant critic of cruelty, stupidity, and the evil of society. His memoirs include: Youth, Ego Trip, and Since the Last Round of the Road.

Antonio Machado

Excels as an essayist with his work Juan de Mairena, where he outlines his religious, philosophical,... Continue reading "Spanish Literature in the Early 20th Century: Key Authors and Movements" »

Spanish Literature Overview

Poetry

Garcilaso de la Vega (1st Half of 16th Century)

Works: Sonnets, Eclogues (pastoral poems)
Themes: Love (lady's indifference, lover's pain), Nature (stylized setting for love complaints)
Style: Clear, simple, elegant, harmonious. Predominantly hendecasyllable verse, alliteration, musical hyperbaton.

Fray Luis de León (1st Half of 16th Century)

Prose:
Translations: Song of Songs
Original Works: The Perfect Wife
Poetry:
Translations: Passages from the Book of Job
Original Poems: Less than 40, mostly lyrical compositions with varied themes and structures.
Themes: Nature, longing for country life, night's music (influenced by Beatus Ille)
Style: Lira verse, hyperbole, alliteration, hyperbaton, metaphor, personification. Frequent... Continue reading "Spanish Literature: Golden Age and Medieval Classics" »

The Baroque Period (1598-1621)

The Baroque period (approximately 1598-1621) is a time of sinking pessimism. The utopia of man as the center of the universe fades. The concern over time is the Baroque subject par excellence. Antithesis and contrast are enhanced; these elements are also characteristic. The period seeks to surprise.

Trends in Baroque Lyric Poetry

In Baroque lyric poetry, we distinguish three trends:

• The most pure Baroque style is Conceptismo, which finds its greatest exponents in Quevedo and Baltasar Gracián. In Conceptismo, the classical balance between expression and content is broken in favor of the latter. It uses paradoxes, neologisms, antithesis, and resources to achieve humor.
• Second, the Culteranismo style is peculiar to Góngora.

J.V. Foix (1893-1987)

Josep Vicenç Foix, born in Sarrià in 1893, signed his works as J.V. Foix. He abandoned his law studies and dedicated his life to culture. Although his main activity was literature, he participated in politics as a nationalist, was interested in contemporary painting, and was involved in sports at the Catalan Flying Club. The roots of his native town, the countryside, Catalonia, and his faithfulness to his language are elements that give meaning to his work. He died in 1987.

His work includes articles on political and aesthetic considerations, such as "Some Avant-Garde Literature" (1925). His main work belongs to the poetic prose genre, as well as verse:

1. Poetic Prose: He planned to collect 365 pieces, but only 208 are conserved.

Key Aspects of Medieval Culture

Theocentricism: In medieval Christian society, everything revolved around religion, influencing lives and literature.

Middle Ages: A period spanning from the 5th to the late 15th century.

The Clergy: The literate class during the Middle Ages, driving education.

Feudalism: Production based on a natural and agricultural economy, tending toward self-sufficiency.

Orality: Medieval works often contain appeals to listeners and repetitions.

Monasteries: After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, written culture found refuge in monasteries.

Author Anonymity: Medieval books were manuscripts, and authors were often anonymous.

Secularization: In the late Middle Ages, written culture expanded beyond ecclesiastical walls.

Universities:

Catalan Literature: From Modernism to Noucentisme

Key Literary Works and Authors

"The Slope" by Clementine Ardiu reflects on the equilibria between the good and the bad in life. (19th Century).

"I would not be more than a bird alone," by Carles Riba, explores themes of nature, *tempus fugit*, and love. (Noucentisme).

"Súnion!" by Carles Riba, expresses ideals of democracy and freedom, and a perfect mental identification with the temple while in exile. (Noucentisme). "Mutilated Temple."

"Ode to Catalonia from the Tropics," by Agustí Bartra, conveys a longing for his country, which has become a strange land to him. "The furious tropic of the Silver Cross thrusts my face."

"Sun and Mourning," by J.V. Foix, deals with the clarification of his imaginary... Continue reading "Catalan Literature: Modernism to Noucentisme" »

Development of Prose in the 16th Century

The Renaissance aesthetic ideas soon blended prose fiction and didactic prose. It combined medieval traditions with innovative currents.

Didactic Prose: The Dialogues

This was a genre with great acceptance and was instrumental in the development of the novel. The most appreciated were those of Juan de Valdés and Alfonso de Valdés.

Prose Fiction Genres

Includes the pastoral, Moorish, and Byzantine genres.

Pastoral Novel

Los siete libros de la Diana (1559) by Jorge de Montemayor was published. This work is centered on the love of the protagonist for Diana. It exemplifies the most outstanding feature of the pastoral novel: the idealization of nature and love (characterized by a quiet and melancholic language)... Continue reading "Spanish Prose Development: 16th and 17th Centuries" »

Cervantes' Life and the Creation of Don Quixote

Cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares. During his childhood and youth, he lived in Valladolid, Córdoba, Seville, and Madrid. He participated in the Battle of Lepanto and was captured by the Turks when he returned to Spain, spending five years in prison. Don Quixote was published in two parts: the first in 1605 and the second in 1615.

Part One

• First Outing: Alonso Quijano loses his mind reading many chivalric romances. He decides to imitate the heroes he reads about.
• Second Outing: Don Quixote travels with his squire, Sancho Panza. After various adventures, both return to their village.

Part Two

• Third Outing: He is defeated on the beach in Barcelona by the Knight of the White Moon. He returns home,

Valle Inclán: Modern Poetry

Valle Inclán is known for three books of modern poetry:

• Aromas of Legend (1907): A fusion of modernism with the mystical grounds of lyrical Galicia.
• The Passenger (1920): Deals with issues using imagination, magic, and astrology.
• The Pipe Kif (1919): Coloristic style, a caricature of the nonsensical.

His poetry is characterized by significant rhythms, rhyme, and color.

Juan Ramón Jiménez: Pure Poetry

Juan Ramón Jiménez's personal work is related to pure poetry and the aesthetics of silence.

Stage 1: Sensory

• Arias Tristes (1903)
• Jardines Lejanos (1904)
• Balada de Primavera (1907)
• Platero y yo (1914)

Stage 2: Intellectual

• Diario de un poeta recién casado (1916)

Stage 3: Exile

• Estación Total (1946)
• Dios deseado y deseante (1949)