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Juan Ramón Jiménez
The life and work of JRJ will form part of our Noucentisme Gde1914.
Your personality: he was egocentric and hypersensitive. He sought solitude, reflection, and a quiet life.
From a young age, he knew that his fate was indisputably linked to poetry, to the relentless pursuit of beauty and knowledge through words. JRJ always believed poetry was a minority genre due to the difficulty of language. His work is not as easy to read; its conceptual density grows and becomes inscrutable as it progresses.
Poetic Path
There are several Juan Ramón Jiménezs that correspond to different evolutionary phases of his writing.

1. The Sensitive Period (1986-1915)

Obsession with death inspired his best poetry; he tried to shoo it away with... Continue reading "The Life and Work of Juan Ramón Jiménez: A Poetic Journey" »

Literary Currents: Modernism and Generation of '98

Modernism (Late 19th Century – World War I)

Modernism began in the late 19th century and concluded around the First World War (1914–1918). A principal representative was Rubén Darío.

Characteristics of Modernism:

• Rebellion against bourgeois aesthetics, considered prosaic and outdated.
• Preference for poetry over prose.
• Desire for escape, leading modernists to set their work in exotic locales and ancient times.
• Intense eroticism in the expression of love.
• Alternation between melancholy, rebelliousness, and vitality.
• Search for poetic language through rhythmic and sensory facilities.
• Metric renewal: Rubén Darío revived forgotten syllable counts, such as 9, 12, or 14 syllables.

Generation of '98

The... Continue reading "Key Figures and Characteristics of Early 20th Century Spanish Literature" »

Realistic Literature: Characteristics and Context

Realistic literature is the transition from the sentimental exaltation and imaginative deployment of Romantic literature to the observation and accurate representation of the environment. Its intention was not to evade reality and formulate unattainable ideas, as in Romanticism, but to portray the society of its time with the desire to transform and improve it. The novel was the literary genre best suited to these purposes. It was also the favorite genre of the public belonging to the bourgeoisie, who saw their interests and concerns there.

The Realistic Novel: Themes and Techniques

The realistic novel shows a concern for reality and the everyday; historical themes and exotic settings were substituted... Continue reading "Realistic Literature: Characteristics and Spanish Masters" »

Formation and Expansion of the Crown of Aragon

The Dynastic Union and Territorial Growth

• The formation and expansion of the Crown of Aragon became constant by the end of the 13th century.
• The dynastic union between Aragon and Catalonia was solidified by the wedding of Ramon Berenguer IV and Petronilla of Aragon.

Jaume I (The Conqueror) and Major Conquests

The Reign of Jaume I (1229–1245)

Jaume I (James I) undertook significant campaigns between 1229 and 1245. The distribution of conquered land was crucial, and Jaume I established new land charters (furs).

• A kingdom with its own jurisdictions was enacted in 1261.
• Conquests: Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Duchies of Athens and Neopatras in Greece.

Legal and Linguistic Developments

• Libro del Consulado

The Generation of '98: Themes and Style

In the early 20th century, Spanish narrative production, particularly the novel, was dominated by the novelists of the Generation of '98. They protested against the decadent customs of Spanish society and proposed a total renovation. Furthermore, they defended subjectivism, contrasting with the faithful reproduction of reality favored by 19th-century realist authors.

Predominant themes include:

• The 'Problem of Spain': focusing on the Castilian landscape, the history of the anonymous individual and daily life (what Unamuno called 'intra-history'), and literature itself. They admired medieval authors like Berceo and Manrique, and classics such as Góngora, Cervantes, and Larra.
• The Existential Issue: concern

Literary Influences of the 15th Century

• Influence of Provençal Literature
• Themes of Courtly Love
• Influence of French Literature: Chivalry Novels
• Influence of Italian Humanism
• Allegorical and Rich Poetry, Romances, and Drama
• Influence of Classical Literature: Imitation of Authors and Numerous Translations
• Pre-Renaissance Literature

Noble Courtesans

Participation and dedication in many aspects of life and art. Notable figures include M. Santillana and Jorge Manrique.

Individualism

A collective anxiety disappeared as the courtly gentleman took precedence.

Obsessive Focus on Death

Dances of Death (Macabre) where death appears indiscriminately.

Shift from Anonymity

Reaffirmation of authorship.

Evolution of Purpose

Didactic purpose gives way to literature presented... Continue reading "Literary Influences and Topics of the 15th Century" »

The First Renaissance and Garcilaso de la Vega

In the First Renaissance, Garcilaso de la Vega was the most important writer. Lyric poetry during this period was divided into several categories:

Traditional and Learned Lyric Styles

• Traditional Lyric: Includes royal songs, broken-foot verses, and Castilian Romances, many of which were collected in songbooks.
• Learned Lyric: The most important figure is Cristóbal de Castillejo, who wrote octosyllabic verses and opposed the Italianate style.

The Rise of Italianate Lyric

In 1526, Juan Boscán met the Venetian ambassador, who encouraged the introduction of Italian lyric styles to Spain. Boscán and Garcilaso de la Vega began writing together, with Garcilaso becoming the more prominent figure. Key influences... Continue reading "Spanish Renaissance Poetry: Garcilaso and the Golden Age" »

Theatrical Structure: Acts and Scenes

Theatrical works are typically divided into acts (separated by an interval, usually three) and scenes (marked by the separate entrances and exits of characters).

Major Theatrical Genres

Tragedy: Origins and Characteristics

Tragedy, the oldest theatrical genre, originated in Classical Greece. It often revolved around the cult of the dead and depicted heroes who suffer, frequently written in verse.

• Topics: Serious, transcendental, and grand, treated with a high tone.
• Personalities: Heroes, kings, and gods.
• Action: Acts are dominated by strong passions.
• Denouement: Usually fatal, with characters often dying.

Notable tragedians include William Shakespeare, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Corneille, Racine, Schiller,... Continue reading "Theatrical Genres: From Tragedy to Drama & Ausias March's Legacy" »

Spanish Golden Age Theater: Key Playwrights

Short works, often comical, were interspersed between longer plays. These humorous one-act burlesques, or entremeses, frequently featured erotic themes or bizarre characters, adding variety to theatrical performances.

Lope de Vega: Master of Spanish Comedy

Lope de Vega, a prolific writer with probably over 300 plays, championed the national comedy, or Comedia Nueva. Despite his humble origins and scandalous life, he became an established figure in the theatrical world, though not fixed at court.

Characteristics of Lope de Vega's Work

• Characterized by a mixture of popular and cultured elements.
• Conscious of his diverse audience in the public courtyards, he aimed to satisfy all by various means.

Types of Lope

Novecentismo

The cultural movement of the second decade of the twentieth century, also known as the Generation of 14, emerged in opposition to the nineteenth century. Around 1914, Modernism concluded, and a new stage gradually entered. New authors began shedding ornamental elements to achieve an intellectualization. This period saw the appearance of neopopularismo, which would remain relevant in the Generation of '27 (moving beyond the sentimentality of earlier intellectualism).

The Bridge Generation

The Generation of 14 acted as a bridge between the Generation of '98 and the Generation of '27. It was open to the world, defending universal values over purely national ones. Through the League of Political Education, a new approach to contemporary... Continue reading "Novecentismo: Spanish Literary Shift in the 1910s" »