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

Garcilaso: Love Lyric and Pastoral Eclogues

Garcilaso: The dominant theme is the love lyric, with melancholic expression caused by the absence of the beloved. Nature is related to the topic through the locus amoenus, reflecting the poet's inner world. Other poems deal with subjects such as friendship, fate, or fortune. In his early Petrarchan-style poems one can see the influence of the poetry of Ausiàs March and the cancionero tradition. From 1532 Garcilaso increased his contact with Petrarchan poetry.

Garcilaso's Eclogues

In these lyrical compositions, shepherds voice complaints about love in idealized environments. Key eclogues include:

• Eclogue 1: Contains monologues of two shepherds, Nemoroso and Salicio, which deal with the pain of rejection

The Romantic Position in Spanish Literature

The Romantic position presents a flowering later than other genres. Early works are characterized by Neoclassicism. The features of poetry in the first half of the nineteenth century were characterized by its mix of genres and styles, and the metric polymetry shown in the metric scales and polystrophism.

José de Espronceda's Poetry

Espronceda's work extols freedom and individualism, central tenets of Romanticism.

Key Works and Themes

• The Pirate Song and The Pauper: Extol freedom and individualism.
• Cossack Song: Encourages combat against the degradation of a Europe corrupted by money.
• El Estudiante de Salamanca: The story is based on the myth of the trickster Don Juan. The sinner witnesses his own funeral,

Spanish Theater Before 1936: Constraints and Currents

Regarding the theater prior to 1936, we highlight two major handicaps: the commercial requirements and the preferences of viewers. These two aspects conditioned the creation of the authors:

• Ideologically: Authors had to adapt to the bourgeois way of thinking, which supported some criticism but did not seek social or political transformation.
• Aesthetically: It was a basically conservative theater, lacking technical or aesthetic innovations.

In this situation, we find two main currents of theater:

Conservative Theater vs. Innovative Drama

The Conservative Theater followed the tradition of late nineteenth-century theater. Within this current, the following genres highlighted:

• Bourgeois comedy (e.g.

Rome: Republic and Empire

Roman Art

Roman art adopted Greek forms, creating a realistic and sober style that prioritized practicality and functionality over pure aesthetics.

Roman Architecture

• Imitated Greek models, emphasizing practicality and functionality in large cities and public buildings.
• Utilized arches and barrel vaults.
• Common materials included brick, marble, and concrete.
• Combined architectural orders.
• Civil architecture was more prominent than religious architecture.

Arches and Vaults

Used in homes and temples, these structures were often clad with exterior marble panels. The Colosseum exemplifies a composite order, featuring Doric on the first floor, Ionic on the second, and Corinthian on the third.

Civil Architecture

Cities

Initially agricultural,... Continue reading "Roman Architecture and Art: Republic and Empire" »

Ángel Fieramente Humano: Postwar Revelation

Ángel fieramente humano was identified by critics of the 50s for its originality. Dámaso Alonso proclaimed that poetry "as uprooted" as one of the three or four revelations of postwar Spanish lyric. The title of the work comes from a sonnet by Góngora: "porque el ángel es fieramente humano."

In these torn poems, Blas de Otero discusses the post-war man's anguished existence, the existence of humanity in ruins.

The poet crying in Ángel fieramente humano is no longer merely a subject but raises his rebellion against pain, in the midst of solitude.

The themes of love, the mortal condition of man, anguish, and loneliness run throughout the book. God is the representative of the power of distance and... Continue reading "Blas de Otero's Poetic Trajectory: Anguish, Society, Spain" »

Compound Sentences: Structure and Types

Compound sentences consist of two or more independent clauses (each with its own predicate). They can sometimes be confused with verb combinations, which only have a single predicate. Compound sentences can be formed with or without explicit linkages:

• Juxtaposition: Sentences placed side-by-side, often separated by punctuation like a comma or semicolon.
• Coordination: Clauses are linked by coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or) and are grammatically independent of each other.
• Subordination: One clause performs a grammatical function within another, linked by subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because, although, when).

The Baroque Theatre: Innovations and Characteristics

The New Comedy

The New Comedy was... Continue reading "Spanish Golden Age Literature and Grammar Concepts" »

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

Spanish Novel and Theater: Postwar Movements

Narrative

Existential Novel and Tremendismo

Existential novel: The novel opens with tremendismo, exemplified by Cela; this style reflects stark language, violence, crime, and the brutality of human beings struggling to survive. Laforet's novel describes the consequences of the Civil War through everyday people who suffer the ravages of hunger and want.

Social Novel

The social novel: Writers sought to denounce social injustice and raise awareness of individuals. The theme focuses on Spanish reality, represented in rural and urban settings, all in conditions hostile to a prosperous middle class. In style, it gives greater emphasis to content than to form. Narrators abandon an extensive vocabulary and prefer... Continue reading "Spanish Postwar Novel and Theater Movements" »

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