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

Pre-Theater 1936: Trends and Groups

The different groups and trends in the theater prior to 1936 are:

1. Bourgeois Comedy

Jacinto Benavente was its most representative author. He offered a theater with a greater interest in conversational dialogue and a more realistic tone.

The characters were bourgeois, and the topics covered were typical conflicts such as unrequited love and infidelity.

Among his works are "La Gobernadora" (The Housekeeper) and "Lo Inquilino" (The Unloved), a kind of theater that develops a violent world of uncontrolled passions for urban education.

2. Poetic Theater

It arises from modernism. It is a scene of pure evasion that retrieves historical and legendary themes.

Eduardo Marquina highlights "Las Hijas del Cid" (The Daughters... Continue reading "Spanish Theater Trends Before 1936: Key Playwrights & Movements" »

Understanding Literary Concepts and Spanish Postwar Novel

Key Literary Definitions

• Context: The set of words that precede or follow a text word or phrase, influencing its meaning.
• Location: The set of circumstances in which a language message is issued, affecting the determination of its meaning.

The Spanish Novel: Evolution and Characteristics

The novel is the literary genre that has most stood out in recent decades. Spanish narrators were divided into two groups: those in exile and those on the mainland. Among the authors in exile, the predominant theme was the Civil War and its aftermath. The novel evolves over decades, similar to the progression of other genres, with authors like Miguel Delibes and Carmen Martín Gaite.

The Novel in the 1940s

The... Continue reading "Spanish Novel Evolution: Postwar Eras and Literary Forms" »

Literary Language

Literary use of language: In the poetic function, literary language dominates, influencing both the content and its expression.

Characteristic Features

They can be grouped into two categories:

1. Deviation from the norm: A departure from normal language use.
2. Connotative or suggestive language: Language that suggests meanings through subjective associations, prevalent in lyrical poetry via metaphors or symbols.

Verse and Prose

Literary works are presented in two rhythmic forms: verse and prose. Verse adheres to a fixed rhythmic structure, while prose is not subject to a specific pattern.

Literary Genres

Lyric

The author expresses their subjectivity, feelings, or thoughts in the first person. It is often expressed in verse and includes original... Continue reading "Literary Language, Genres, and Forms" »

Galician New Narrative: 1960s-1970s

A heterogeneous group of authors and works from the 1960s and 1970s, including Gonzalo Rodríguez Mourullo, Xosé Luis Méndez Ferrín, Carlos Casares, and Xosé María Queizán, provided a thorough review of the trends of the preceding narrative.

Common Features

The authors, often with university degrees, were closely linked to nationalist ideology and knowledgeable about European narrative trends.

Narrator

Often a first-person narrator, focusing on introspection or detailed examination.

Protagonist

Often appears uprooted and overwhelmed by their own conscience or unknown circumstances.

Space

Becomes indefinite and intangible, contrasting with specific, known locations. Rural space dominates, acquiring symbolic importance... Continue reading "Galician New Narrative: Authors & Features (60s-70s)" »

The Hispanization Process and Linguistic Roots

American Spanish refers to the variety of Castilian spoken by inhabitants of various American countries. Its origins trace back to the Hispanization process that commenced in 1492 with the discovery of America. Key factors shaping the linguistic reality of American Spanish include the Castilian substrate, the influence of indigenous languages, and the imposition of a Castilian language that was already highly dialectalized.

Regional Variations: Highland vs. Lowland Spanish

American Spanish is broadly divided into two main dialectal areas: highland (cold regions, where Castilian settlers predominated) and lowland (hot regions, where Andalusian settlers predominated). In highland Spanish, vowels are... Continue reading "American Spanish: Origins, Features, and Linguistic Identity" »

The Nature and Forms of Literary Art

Defining Literature and Literary Language

Literature is an art whose raw material is language, which the writer manipulates in order to produce an aesthetic and emotional effect on the recipient. The term refers to the peculiar relationship literary fiction keeps to reality. Literary language is used in a manner intentionally seeking to create aesthetic impressions and emotions in the reader. The functions of literature are to entertain, amuse, and convey ideas.

The first text on literature defined poetry as 'bullying' done by means of words. Literature imitates reality; it is inspired by the real world. But it is not an exact copy: the writer uses part of reality to recreate a world we call literary fiction.... Continue reading "The Fundamentals of Literary Art and Genre Classification" »

The Roman Republic: Foundations of Ancient Governance

Tradition holds that after the expulsion of the Etruscan king Tarquinius Superbus, the Roman Republic was established. Its first two rulers were Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. With the end of the monarchy, a republican system of government was installed, based on citizen choice. This system, which included citizen assemblies and magistrates (some with judicial roles), along with the Greek model, serves as a direct historical reference for modern democratic political systems.

The Roman Republic's governmental structure was characterized by three core principles for its magistrates: annuality (holding office for one year), collegiality (sharing power with at least one... Continue reading "Roman Republic and Senate: Governance in Ancient Rome" »

The Minstrel and Mester of Minstrelsy

The Minstrel was a poet who recounted events and deeds of heroes from history and legend through epic poems. This craft, or art of storytelling, was known as the Mester of Minstrelsy.

The Minstrel's Role and Performance

The minstrel's mission was to recite, and even dramatize, epic tales. They traveled through towns and castles, entertaining people by reciting verses from memory. Epic poems were primarily composed for oral transmission, not for reading.

Minstrels provided various forms of entertainment, including:

• Singing
• Dancing
• Reciting lyric poems accompanied by instruments to enliven festivals

Minstrel vs. Troubadour: Key Distinctions

The primary difference between a minstrel and a troubadour is as follows:

• A

Realism

From the second half of the nineteenth century, a new movement began, Realism, which represented a reaction to the Romantic writers of Romanticism. Instead of seeking a subjective contemplation of reality, the authors gave a more objective, realistic view. Throughout Europe, a series of social changes were taking place, including the emergence of the proletariat. Realist writers began to report the negative consequences of these changes.

Characteristics of Realism:

• They prefer factual descriptions and dialogues that characterize the characters.
• The protagonists are ordinary men and women.
• Works have a social intent and subject matter drawn from reality.
• Narrative grows mostly.
• In France, Balzac and Flaubert are highlighted, with Madame Bovary.

Roman Architecture

Religious Structures

Roman temples were often prostyle, featuring columns only on the front side. Many were pseudo-peripteral, with columns attached to the temple's perimeter. They typically had a single tier providing access to the pronaos, rising on a podium (base).

Civil Structures

• Basilicas: These were of great importance for the administration of justice and commerce. They typically featured three rectangular, lintel-covered naves.
• Baths (Thermae): Public baths were highly significant. They included meeting rooms, libraries, sports areas, and were often free. These complexes comprised various rooms.
• Theaters and Amphitheaters: Roman theaters gave less importance to the orchestra and chorus areas. They were semicircular, with