Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Other courses

Spanish Poetry in the Second Half of the 20th Century: Trends, Authors, and Representative Works

1950s: Social Poetry

Poets felt the need to provide critical testimony of reality and adopt an attitude of commitment to the situation in Spain. Key works include Cantos Íberos and Pido la paz y la palabra (I Ask for Peace and the Word) by Gabriel Celaya, and Que trata de España by Blas de Otero, published in 1955.

Key themes:

• The issue of Spain
• Social injustice
• Alienation
• Longing for freedom

The language is clear, sometimes mundane, and the tone is colloquial, but it uses many rhetorical resources.

1960s: Poetry of Knowledge

By the end of the 1950s, a group of poets emerged who sought further elaboration of poetic language and a shift from the collective... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry & Theater: Mid-20th Century to 1970s" »

Renaissance Motets and Masses

Evolution of Polyphony

Early Motets

Motet styles varied depending on the season. Isorhythmic motets, less common in later years, were prominent in the early period. In homophonic motets, all voices are equal. The imitative motet became the most important and innovative style.

Masses

Masses shared similarities with motets. Several masses, like the L'homme armé Mass and the L'homme armé Mass with isorhythm in the upper voice, were based on the popular tune "L'homme armé." Another example is the Missa Hercules dux Ferrariae, where the cantus firmus is derived from an acronym of the title.

Secular Music

Secular music production flourished in France and Italy. In Italy, works were sometimes attributed to the pseudonym... Continue reading "Renaissance Motets and Masses: Evolution of Polyphony" »

Valle-Inclán

Throughout his career, Valle-Inclán demonstrated a continuous willingness for formal thematic renewal and an intention to break with the theater of his time. His work evolved into his unique creation: the esperpento.

Early Dramatic Works: Drama in Decay

In these works, Valle-Inclán applied modernism to drama, achieving a poetic theater. He incorporated characters with realistic language and attitudes. The first works focused on the theme of adultery, free of ethical constraints.

The Marquis of Bradomín

This book highlights the use of ridiculed techniques and multiple locations of action.

The Wilderness of Souls

Valle-Inclán paid great attention to the protagonist's mood. Hypersensitivity is exalted, feelings triumph, and there is... Continue reading "Valle-Inclán and Lorca: Spanish Theater Evolution" »

The Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

The dome has a very elegant design achieved from the smart curvature of the white marble ribs. The ascents to the ribs come together to give way to a stylized lantern designed by Brunelleschi. The red-tiled dome is covered on a drum of marble stone, coated with a circular window on each side, resembling an eye.

The success was so great that it became a distinctive element of Renaissance churches. The projecting dome of St. Paul was inspired by this, as his older sister wanted to create something equally beautiful. For five centuries, both Europe and America have produced solutions inspired by Brunelleschi.

Palazzo Rucellai by Leon Battista Alberti

The facade's articulation is achieved by starting an innovative... Continue reading "Exploring the Architectural Marvels of Florence" »

English Tenses and Grammar

Present Continuous

Subject + to be (am, is, are) + gerund + complement

Past Continuous

Subject + was / were + gerund + complement

Present Simple

Subject + verb + complement (do, does) - General ideas

Past Simple

Subject + verb (past) + complement (did) - Finished actions in the past

Present Perfect

Subject + have / has + past participle + complement - Actions started in the past and continuing to the present

Present Perfect Continuous

Subject + have / has + been + gerund + complement

Past Perfect Continuous

Subject + had + been + gerund + complement

Passive Voice

Present Passive

Subject + is / are + past participle + agent

Past Passive

Subject + was / were + past participle + agent

Present Perfect Passive

Subject + has / have + been +... Continue reading "English Tenses and Grammar: A Comprehensive Review" »

Urban Planning Models

Ensanche - The Hippodamic Model

Early models for expanding cities with old layouts proposed a Hippodamic growth system. In Spain, this model was used in Madrid's widening plan and in Barcelona with Cerdà's plan.

Cerdà's Plan

Cerdà's plan proposed a smaller grid than the original Hippodamic model, with a hierarchy of roads. Over time, this evolved into the Salamanca district, which became obsolete. The urban development was regulated by legislation, including the types of buildings allowed in each block, establishing a social organization among buildings.

The approach was to create courtyards within blocks. Due to their small size, these courtyards were primarily for ventilation and suffered from scale issues over time. The... Continue reading "Urban Planning Models: Ensanche & Linear City" »

Spanish Literature Overview

Poetry

Garcilaso de la Vega (1st Half of 16th Century)

Works: Sonnets, Eclogues (pastoral poems)
Themes: Love (lady's indifference, lover's pain), Nature (stylized setting for love complaints)
Style: Clear, simple, elegant, harmonious. Predominantly hendecasyllable verse, alliteration, musical hyperbaton.

Fray Luis de León (1st Half of 16th Century)

Prose:
Translations: Song of Songs
Original Works: The Perfect Wife
Poetry:
Translations: Passages from the Book of Job
Original Poems: Less than 40, mostly lyrical compositions with varied themes and structures.
Themes: Nature, longing for country life, night's music (influenced by Beatus Ille)
Style: Lira verse, hyperbole, alliteration, hyperbaton, metaphor, personification. Frequent... Continue reading "Spanish Literature: Golden Age and Medieval Classics" »

Bacteriophage Replication

The duplication of a bacteriophage is known as the lytic cycle and can be grouped into different stages:

1. Attachment
2. Entry
3. Replication
4. Assembly
5. Lysis and Release

The time required for viral multiplication is 30 to 35 minutes.

Retroviruses

Retroviruses are a type of virus present only in eukaryotic cells. Retroviruses have RNA as genetic material and within their capsid, they also bear a molecule of the reverse transcriptase enzyme that is able to catalyze the transformation of their messenger RNA molecules into DNA. In a later stage, the viral genome, DNA copied and called provirus, is integrated into the cell's DNA and can be transmitted to the descendants of the same when it divides. The next stage, which can occur after a... Continue reading "Bacteriophage and Eukaryotic Virus Replication: Stages and Structures" »

Spanish Fishing Regions

Fishing employs approximately 80,000 people in Spain (0.6% of the population), and another 30,000 in shellfish harvesting. Employment in this sector has decreased due to fleet reduction, ship modernization, and work mechanization. However, it still significantly impacts shipyards, canning factories, fishing equipment manufacturers, ice plants, and transportation.

Challenges in Spanish Fisheries

National fish stocks are limited because the continental shelf off the Spanish coast is very small. Overfishing, driven by rising demand, has depleted fishing grounds. The artisanal fleet, consisting of small inshore (coastal) fishing boats, operates in these waters.

In open water, the overwhelming bulk of fish landed comes from other... Continue reading "Spanish Fishing Regions: Challenges and Opportunities" »

Vocalism in Roussillon

In Roussillon, the vowel system can be open or locked, or closed with a neutral u. The neutral vowel in the final position disappears in proparoxytone words (words stressed on the antepenultimate syllable). The neutral vowel can also occur with a and e.

Consonantism in Roussillon

• The -rr sound can infiltrate other sounds.
• Latin groups -NRLR- do not produce an intervocalic -d-.
• The sound /f/ at the end of a word is dropped.
• The sound /e/ in certain positions can be lost.
• There is a very high tendency for assimilation between consonants.

Morphology in Roussillon

• The definite article is the same as in Central Catalan, but you can also hear it and them.
• The personal pronoun article is also similar to Central Catalan.
• Among the pronouns,