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

Realism: Characteristics and Context

Realism is the expression of the dominant mentality of the liberal bourgeoisie in the novel of the epoch. It is a movement where all genres are cultivated, including drama and poetry.

Key Features of Realism

• Observation of Reality

  The mentality of the epoch gives priority to the rational approach to reality.

• Likelihood Analysis

  The literary work must construct a narrative world similar to the real one. Great importance is attached to the description of space and characters.

• Tendency toward Objectivity

  The writer maintains a critical intention regarding society, although this does not prevent the inclusion of a personal viewpoint.

• Preference for Closed Structure

  The structure is clearly developed with a beginning,

The Generation of '27: A Pinnacle of Spanish Poetry

In the 1920s, a group of poets reached maturity, producing a moment of brilliance in Spanish poetry. The principal authors were: Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Vicente Aleixandre, Rafael Alberti, Federico García Lorca, and Luis Cernuda.

Naming the Group: The Generation of '27

This influential literary movement was called the Poetic Generation or Group of '27. The year 1927 marked the centenary of the death of the poet Luis de Góngora, and the group acted to reclaim his legacy. Among the group members, there were many unifying points:

• Strong Friendships: Their friendships and the publication of their first books began in the early 1920s. These friendly relations extended through the Civil War

Understanding Romanticism

Romanticism was an artistic and literary movement that triumphed in the mid-nineteenth century. Its development was influenced by social and political changes that definitively settled the last vestiges of the old regime.

Historical Context

The French Revolution, occurring in the late eighteenth century, provided political, ideological, and social benefits that spread throughout Europe.

The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late eighteenth century and spread throughout Europe during the nineteenth century.

Key Features of Romantic Literature

Mariano José de Larra is a leading author of the Romantic period.

Rebellion

Romantics questioned the morality of their time and bourgeois values.

Avoidance

Confrontation with... Continue reading "Understanding Romanticism: Key Aspects, Literature, and Authors" »

Understanding Spanish: Dialects, Linguistic Features, and Literary Romanticism

Regional Varieties of Spanish and Other Iberian Languages

• Castilian Spanish: Includes dialect forms such as Andalusian, Murcian, Extremaduran, and Canarian.
• Catalan: Spoken in Andorra, Roussillon (France), and by some communities in Morocco.
• Galician: Found in Southwestern, Northwestern, Central, and Eastern Europe.
• Euskera (Basque): Dialects include Biscayan, Gipuzkoan, High Navarrese, and Souletin-Labourdine.

Key Linguistic Characteristics

Phonetics

• Seseo: Pronunciation of 'z' and 'c' (before 'e' or 'i') as 's'.
• Yeísmo: Pronunciation of 'll' and 'y' as a single 'y' sound.
• Aspiration or Loss of 's': Aspiration or complete loss of the phoneme 's' at the end of a syllable.

Federico Garcia Lorca

Lorca's drama is written in verse and prose and is characterized by tragic lyrical feeling. Frustration, love, and unsatisfied desire are recurring themes in his theater. Among his works are farces such as The Shoemaker's Prodigious Wife, historical dramas like Mariana Pineda, avant-garde theater such as The Public, and rural tragedies like Yerma, Blood Wedding, and The House of Bernarda Alba. In his avant-garde theater, the playwright delves into experimental theater with The Public, a work that explores passionate love.

His rural tragedies include Blood Wedding, a play about the impossibility of love due to social differences; Yerma, a work where motherhood is frustrated and stressed; and The House of Bernarda Alba, considered... Continue reading "Federico Garcia Lorca, Unamuno, Azorín, and Baroja: Spanish Literature" »

The Search for New Trade Routes (Post-1453)

In 1453, the invasion of Constantinople by the Turks necessitated the establishment of new trade routes to reach the East.

Portuguese Routes

• The African route (Bartolomeu Dias)
• The route to India (Vasco da Gama)

Christopher Columbus's Project

Christopher Columbus presented his project to reach the Indies to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492. They accepted the proposal, and the Capitulations of Santa Fe were signed.

Columbus's Voyages

• First Voyage (1492)

  Sailed from Palos on August 3, 1492. Landfall occurred on October 12, 1492, at the island of Guanahani (San Salvador). Subsequent visits included Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti).

• Second Expedition (1493)

  Departed in September 1493, consisting of 15 ships and 1,500 men.

Bernardi Graña: The Poet of the Sea

Born in Cangas do Morrazo, Bernardi Graña published his first book, Poems a Man Wanted to Live, in 1959 during his stay in Madrid. He graduated in Romantic Philology and taught both within and outside Galicia. He later returned to Cangas, where he currently resides.

While he also wrote plays and narrative, primarily in children's literature, it was in poetry that he developed his major work. His collection, Prophecy Poems of the Sea and Not Seeing Vigo and Cangas, earned him the nickname "Poet of the Sea," as its central theme revolves around the sea and seafaring life.

Other notable poetic works include Within Our Love for All the Fish, Sar Walked Up, and Anthem Green Light in November. Graña's poetry is... Continue reading "Prominent Galician Writers: Bernardi Graña & Xosé Luís Méndez Ferrín" »

The Art of Eloquence: Rhetoric and Public Speaking in Ancient Rome

The art of eloquence, or public speaking, is necessary in all societies. There will always be an occasion where one has to lead an audience, to convince them, or to express joy, sorrow, or pain. In Roman society, with its political assemblies and courts, mastery of the word was essential for young people of good standing who would engage in politics. It is not always the one who is right who convinces, but the one who best defends his 'reason.' For this, the technique, i.e., Rhetoric, is necessary.

Understanding Rhetoric: The Art of Speaking Well

Rhetoric is a set of procedures for speaking well. This skill was learned in schools of rhetoric. As the art of speech, it was applied... Continue reading "Mastering Public Speaking: Roman Rhetoric and Cicero's Legacy" »

The Trial of Paris

Aphrodite appears alongside Hera and Athena. Two cherubs accompany her. Eris, angered by not being invited to a wedding, sows discord among the guests. Zeus decides to let Paris, a young Trojan prince, choose the most beautiful goddess. Hermes, the messenger god, presents Paris with the apple of discord.

Perseus and Andromeda

Perseus and his mother, Danae, are saved and find refuge in a kingdom. The king desires Danae, but Perseus, aided by Athena and Hermes, defeats the king. On his journey, Perseus rescues Andromeda from a monstrous dragon. The two cherubs symbolize their love. Upon returning, Perseus uses Medusa's head to turn the king to stone. He then founds Mycenae.

Diana and Callisto

Callisto, a nymph, becomes pregnant... Continue reading "Mythological Tales: Paris, Perseus, Diana, and Vulcan" »

Crisis, Renewal, and Diversification of the Catalan Novel

Noucentisme prioritized poetry and the essay and did not give much importance to the novel. The Catalan novel experienced a strong revival starting in 1925. The resumption of the novel led to a notable increase in publishers, collections, and critics specializing in the genre, translations of foreign novelists, the creation of literary prizes for novels, and the consolidation of an important reading public.

Trends and New Authors in the Novel Revival

The rise of the novel involved different trends and the emergence of new authors:

• Modernist narrators who had ceased writing during the Noucentiste period, such as Prudenci Bertrana and Joan Puig i Ferreter.
• The psychological novel, which focused