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

Spanish Literature in the 18th Century

The Essay

The essay is a literary genre written in prose, usually brief, in which the author reflects on an issue, making us sharers in his personal view on that subject. The essay genre is characterized by not being exhaustive and offering a personal and novel view. It tends to be subjective, as the author expresses his intimate thoughts, establishing a dialogue of ideas with the reader, lacking a fixed structure.

Fray Benito Jeronimo Feijoo

Feijoo gave his work a distinctly didactic tone. He was distinguished by his relentless critique of superstition and false miracles, but he could talk about biology as easily as about literature.

Joseph Cadalso

Undoubtedly, "Moroccan Letters" is his most important work.... Continue reading "Spanish Literature: 18th Century Authors and Works" »

Serranillos: Medieval Poetic Encounters

A minor medieval poetic composition, typically featuring an encounter in the mountains and a dialogue, generally a love exchange between a knight and an idealized peasant woman. (Also known as Serranilla)

Jarcha: Mozarabic Love Poems

Mozarabic jarchas are short, popular amatory poems. Generally, the speaker is a young woman recounting her love experiences to her family. Salient features include: an abundance of exclamations, questions, and repetitions; the use of a simple lexicon with many endearing terms; and construction in versos de arte mayor (lines of more than eight syllables).

Cantiga de Amigo: Galician-Portuguese Lyric

A lyrical composition originating from traditional poetry, written by educated authors,... Continue reading "Medieval and Epic Poetic Forms Defined" »

Spain's Literary Shift: The Generation of '98

In 1898, the United States defeated Spain. Consequently, Spain granted independence to Cuba and ceded Puerto Rico and the Philippines to the United States. This event, known as the "Disaster of '98", deeply impacted Spain. In 1902, Alfonso XIII came of age, and the nation was grappling with a crisis of bourgeois consciousness. The prevailing attitude among intellectuals was one of rebellion. This dissent found its literary expression in two significant renewal movements: Modernism and the Generation of '98.

Core Tenets of the Generation of '98

• The primary theme was the "problem of Spain" following the Disaster of '98. Initially, they suggested "Europeanizing Spain" as a solution.
• Their search for national

Lyric Poetry: Definition and Features

Lyric poetry is a literary genre in which the author expresses their feelings subjectively. It can be written in both verse and prose.

Lyrical Attitudes

• Lyrical Emotion: External reality inspires the composition.
• Apostrophic Lyric: The poet addresses a "you," which is the constant reference in their composition.
• Language of Composition: The author focuses solely on their inner self, their vision of reality, and their experiences. This is the most lyrical attitude.

Distinguishing Features of Lyric Poetry

• Lyric texts are characterized by their brevity and concentration compared to other genres such as fiction and drama, which are distinguished by greater extension.
• The poet tries to express a thought, a feeling,

The Intertwined Nature of Life and Death

Across his poems, Miguel Hernandez pays homage to nature, celebrating the beauty of all life. However, a recurring theme is the experience of living, intrinsically linked with pain. Hernandez feels life is constantly threatened by uncontrollable forces. This duality of life and death forms an indissoluble association, shaping his biography and becoming the vibrant center of his poetry.

This dualism presents a clear existential significance, pointing towards the inevitable finality of death. Life and death become a discord, splitting the self. The fullness of life, like that of a bull, is marked by a tragic destiny—the ever-present experience of death.

Love as a Tragic Force

In Hernandez's work, the concept... Continue reading "Life, Death, and Love in Miguel Hernandez's Poetry" »

The Decade of the 1940s

Like the novel and drama, many poets were published in exile, while others, of a more traditional nature, published in Spain. They try existentialist themes, presenting a negative view of life and posing many questions.

Key Figures:

• Vicente Aleixandre emphasized this with the poetry collection Shadow of Paradise.
• Dámaso Alonso with Children of Wrath.

The Decade of the 1950s

As with other literary genres, the poetry of this decade is conceived as a tool capable of transforming reality. This poetry has a narrative character and tends toward prosaism.

Main Representatives:

• Blas de Otero, author of I Ask for Peace and Resignation Speech, where he addresses the lack of freedom in Spain.
• Gabriel Celaya, with his collection of poems,

Vicent Andrés Estellés: Voice of Valencia

Vicent Andrés Estellés, a progressive nationalist and self-taught literary figure, worked as a journalist in the provinces. He ignited renewed Valencian poetry and, despite a lack of modern tradition, produced a very extensive body of work.

He is considered the poet who best represents the Valencian country in recent years, as he writes about all elements that define Valencian identity. His poetry speaks of everyday reality with great sincerity, conveying feelings such as love, fear, hunger, and death.

His works particularly address the misery of war, political oppression, and the moral anxiety stemming from the monotony of human existence. Estellés is the voice of the people, bearing witness to all... Continue reading "Contemporary Catalan and Valencian Literary Figures" »

Medieval Romance Origins

Medieval romance novels have their origins in Greco-Latin works that were translated into prose. These stories are often based on legends, such as those of Chrétien de Troyes about King Arthur. Works like Lancelot focus on the quest for the Holy Grail and the wars fought to reclaim the cup used at the Last Supper. These conflicts were known as the Crusades, missions to recapture holy sites from the Moors. The Crusades led to the creation of military orders in Europe, like the Templars and other knightly orders, to protect travelers on the road to Jerusalem from bandits.

Chivalric Romances

Chivalric romances emerged as an evolution of the epic. They use prose to narrate the exploits of knights, blending reality with fantasy.... Continue reading "Medieval Romance Novels: Origins and Key Features" »

The Power of Women in Curial e Güelfa

Women: The Engine of the Action. Curial e Güelfa is a novel where Curial is the hero, and the play moves along socially and psychologically. However, Curial would not have existed without the intervention of women. Although Güelfa is a character who is not evolving, she allows Curial to begin his chivalric life by providing him with all the money he needs and offering him her love. Güelfa knows what she wants; she is an intelligent, beautiful, and cultured woman. Without Güelfa, Curial would have been a nobody.

Another woman who pushes the protagonist is Lachesis. She is the best-described woman in the novel, known for her great beauty that captivates Curial and provokes jealousy, anger, and contempt... Continue reading "The Power of Women in Curial e Güelfa: A Literary Analysis" »

Baroque Literature Characteristics

Baroque writers prioritized originality, aiming for surprising effects, resulting in art dominated by contrast. They employed a complex style rich in literary devices.

A pessimistic view of reality is evident in key Baroque themes:

• Concern for moral standards.
• The transience of life.
• The universal presence of death.
• Disappointment.
• Existence as a subject for contemplation.

Different literary approaches among authors led to two main currents:

Culteranismo

Sought formal beauty through learned words and an artificial language, often using anastrophe. Its main representative was Luis de Góngora.

Conceptismo

Developed a complex literary discourse based on wit, irony, paradox, double meaning, or caricature. The most important... Continue reading "Spanish Baroque Literature: Authors and Styles" »