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Aesthetic Affinities of the Generation of '27

Aesthetic affinities between the components of the Generation of '27:

• From dehumanization and human authenticity: the human concern is increasing, not to mention the aesthetic requirements.
• Among the tightness and clarity: the cultured and popular.
• Among the intellectual and the emotional: emotion restrained by the intellect.
• Between the universal and the Spanish: receptivity to foreign poetry and poetry with strong national roots.
• Between tradition and renewal: combine art with respect for tradition (J.R.J., Bécquer, Góngora, etc.).

Themes of the Generation of '27

• The city: comfort and frivolities, inventions, communications, transport, etc.
• Nature: near the city or assumed by it. From exile, the reason

The Generation of '98: Characteristics and Themes

Key Features of the Generation of '98

• Antirhetoric: Characterized by a sober and elegant style, emphasizing clarity and precision.
• Subjectivism: Literature reflects the authors' personal feelings and inner concerns.
• Traditionalism: Deep interest in the history and essence of Spain, leading to the use of traditional vocabulary and classical forms.
• Genre Innovation: Frequent use of the essay (trial) as a means of intellectual expression.

Major Thematic Concerns

• The Topic of Spain: Reflection on the causes of national decline and the idealization of the Spanish and Castilian landscape.
• Existential Issues: Focus on man's destiny, the meaning of life, death, and the passage of time.
• Religious Themes: Exploration

Noucentisme: The 1914 Generation in Spain

Noucentisme, also known as the Generation of 1914, was a significant cultural renewal movement in Spanish art and literature. Extending roughly from 1906 to 1923, it emerged as a reaction to and an overcoming of both Modernism and the Generation of '98.

Core Principles and Aesthetic Values

Its style is characterized by a refined and exquisite quality, driven by a strong desire for perfection and the concept of the "job well done." The aesthetic principles and main ideas of Noucentisme include:

Key Ideas of Noucentisme

• Serenity, neatness, and balance as fundamental values of a pure art, aiming solely for aesthetic pleasure.
• Intellectualism: Advocating for art directed towards intelligence rather than emotion,

Petrarch

Petrarch, a fourteenth-century Italian poet, who embodies like no other the characteristics and ideals of humanism. He wrote several works of humanistic inspiration. His most famous work is entitled Rerum vulgarium fragmenta, known by the name of Canzoniere. His Triumphs is an allegorical poem composed in terza rima and consists of 6 parts of very uneven length.

Petrarch's Canzoniere

This consists of over 350 poems on the theme of love. The first part deals with the anguish experienced by the poet in love. He was imitated in Spain by the Marqués de Santillana, Ausiàs March, Juan Boscán, and Garcilaso de la Vega.

Petrarchism

• Traditions: (medieval courtly love)
• Classical Resources: (incorporating many motifs, similes, comparisons, and expressions

Baroque Lyricism in the 17th Century

Features

• The artist seeks original creation, leading to the admiration of the reader.
• Tends towards balance, exaggeration, and the expression of strong contrasts.
• Nature and harmony are not considered a reflection of divine order.

Themes

• Love: Inspired by the Petrarchan ideal, but often appears with a tone of despair.
• Nature: No longer seen as an ideal world, an image of the divine, but used simply as a decorative background.
• Mythological Legends: Become topical and are used continuously, sometimes mechanically.
• Disappointment: Fear of the transience of time and pessimistic thoughts about death. Avoids ordinary burlesque.

Culteranismo

Seeks to impress the reader by using exaggerated language and literary devices.... Continue reading "Baroque Lyricism and Theater in the 17th Century" »

Key Spanish Poets (1891-1963)

Pedro Salinas (1891-1951)

• 1923 - Omens: Books influenced by Juan Ramon Jimenez and the avant-garde.
• 1929 - Seguro azar: Poems dedicated to the typewriter or the movies.
• 1933 - The Voice Due: Item you love, that is not suffering or frustration, but a source of joy and mysterious force that gives meaning to life and the world.
• 1936 - Name of Love
• 1946 - The Poetry Referred: Tinged drama and anguish over the events.
• 1949 - A Vivid Clearer: (war, etc.).

Jorge Guillén (1893-1984)

Considered the prototype of the pure poet and intellectual. His poetry is the result of a rigorous selection process: look for the idea or feeling, eliminating the anecdotal or accessory.

• Song: Collected in successive editions (from 1928-1950). Topic:

The Latin American Literary Boom: Defining Characteristics and Key Authors

The mid-20th century witnessed a transformative period in Latin American literature, often referred to as the Latin American Literary Boom. Novelists from this era built upon previous literary traditions while increasingly favoring the urban novel as a setting. A defining characteristic was the consolidation of magic realism, seamlessly blending the fantastical with everyday reality.

These authors boldly broke with traditional narrative structures, incorporating innovative techniques such as multiple points of view, free indirect style, and interior monologue. They employed diverse styles and languages, often emphasizing poetic elements. Furthermore, their works frequently... Continue reading "Latin American Literary Boom: Defining Characteristics and Key Authors" »

Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas (1580–1645)

Born in Madrid, Quevedo studied at Alcalá and lived in Valladolid, his life intertwined with the court and political activity. Imprisoned in León in his later years by order of the Count-Duke of Olivares, Quevedo experienced firsthand the suffering of confinement. A master of language and poetic forms, his work is divided into several poetic categories:

• Love poems: Written according to the conventions of the era's amatory lyric.
• Metaphysical poems: Covering themes such as anguish, disappointment, resignation, and the transience of life.
• Moral poems: Adopting the stance of a moralist, Quevedo criticizes and satirizes human weaknesses.
• Satirical poems: Alluding to characters in 17th-century society,

La Celestina: A Tragic Love Story

Story: A tragic love story where Calisto, a young bourgeois, falls deeply in love with Melibea, a beautiful young woman of a higher class. She initially rejects him. Calisto seeks help from his servant Sempronius, who suggests the bawd Celestina. Celestina uses her wisdom and spells to unite the young lovers. However, the servants are killed for not sharing their payment. Calisto dies after falling from Melibea's house wall, and Melibea commits suicide out of love.

Editions:

• Comedy of Calisto and Melibea (Burgos, 1499): 1st edition, 16 acts. Includes the Author's letter to his friend, detailing the text's creation.
• Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea (Seville, 1502): 21 acts. A foreword explains the title change

Lazarillo de Tormes: A Picaresque Masterpiece

First published in 1554, Lazarillo de Tormes saw four different editions appear in various locations, all published anonymously. The author chose not to reveal their identity, likely fearing potential problems due to the anticlerical criticism and Erasmian influences present in its pages.

Plot Summary and Character Development

Lázaro de Tormes begins his journey serving a blind man, his first master. Throughout the novel, he serves several others, including a priest, a knight, a friar, a pardoner, a tambourine painter, a chaplain, and a constable. Through these experiences, Lázaro learns the harsh realities of life and develops survival skills. Ultimately, he marries a preacher's servant and becomes... Continue reading "Spanish Golden Age Literary Classics: Lazarillo, Cervantes, Fray Luis" »