Catalan Renaixença: Romantic Poetry, Authors & Works
Catalan Renaixença — Revival of Language
a) The Renaixença is a Catalan cultural movement of the nineteenth century. Its name reflects the desire to revive Catalan as a literary language and culture after centuries of Spanish diglossia. It is marked by a romantic character and a literary rebirth. Prominent authors include Jacint Verdaguer, Àngel Guimerà, and Bonaventura Carles Aribau.
Romantic Poetry and Its Role
b) The Romantics saw poetry as a medium to transcend reality and to know it more authentically. From poetry begins the recovery of Catalan literature by cultivated writers. The reasons Catalan writers chose this genre include the Jocs Florals (Floral Games) as a literary engine. Renaissance poetry is the most important genre of Romantic literature, expressing emotions, ideals, dreams, fears, and the affections of the individual.
Themes in Romantic Poetry
c) Common themes of Romantic poetry are: the exaltation and national reivindication of the language, the landscape, and the mythical life of the countryside. Many writers believed that the countryside preserved traditions and an oral folk-poetry tradition.
Jacint Verdaguer — Canigó
d) Jacint Verdaguer's Canigó is an epic poem that evokes a mythical past and expresses Christian faith. The poem is rooted in Catalan identity. Regarding form, the poem presents remarkable stanzas and metrics. Verdaguer's style is characterized by power and a wealth of images, often constructed through comparison.
Àngel Guimerà — Lowlands
e) Àngel Guimerà: Lowlands.
Floral Games as Literary Engine
The Jocs Florals (Floral Games) are the engine of the literary Renaixença, fostering poetic production and the recovery of Catalan as a literary language.
Narcís Oller — L'Escanyapobres (Commentary)
Comment text: Narcís Oller, L'Escanyapobres.
Vocabulary and Notes (Set 1)
- Jamba: entry
- Saca: bag
- Wagoner: cut
- Muscat: dark
- Dazzled: enfoscada (darkened)
- Cautious: account
Vocabulary and Notes (Set 2)
- Wagoner-2: carrier
- Dazzle: blind
- Cautious: sneaky
Plot and Style Notes
3- L'Escanyapobres by Narcís Oller tells of the life and tragic death of a man blinded by greed and a closed, backward attitude. The study of these approaches relates to naturalism. The narrative point of view is typical of realism: the omniscient third-person narrator.
4- By routine, Oleguer opened the store every day to the public. He began work early in the morning: he was always dressed the same way and hid in the darkness of the magatzem (warehouse). L'Escanyapobres quickly moved from obscurity, waiting for the next sale from local farmers.
Literary Devices and Narration
7- Narration: third-person omniscient narrator.
8- The rhetorical resource: anaphora.
10- A negative image: traits that animalize ("animalitzen") the character.