Spanish Cultural & Historical Milestones: 19th Century
Literary Movements
Romanticism
- Fundamental Principle: Freedom.
- Key Authors: Mariano José de Larra, Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, José Zorrilla.
- Themes: Distant and exotic places; love as a predominant, often unattainable, theme; unbridled passions.
- Genre: Poetry was the most important genre of the era.
- Characteristics: Distinct from the reality of their time; idealized and distant settings.
Realism
- Context: Great advances in science and technology.
- Key Authors: Benito Pérez Galdós, Leopoldo Alas 'Clarín', Emilia Pardo Bazán.
- Method: Based on meticulous observation; detailed description of what is observed.
- Genre: The novel was the most important genre.
- Principle: Based on the principle of verisimilitude, aiming to reflect life as in a mirror.
- Narrative: Often employed an omniscient narrator.
- Legacy: Naturalism emerged from Realism, reflecting the harsher and lower aspects of society.
Modernism and the Generation of '98
- Context: A period of significant change, marked by the independence of the last major colonies and profound scientific and philosophical shifts.
- Aesthetic: Emphasized extreme beauty; attraction to exotic and distant places, often in time.
- Language: Characterized by a beautiful, ornate language, rich in cultisms, adjectives, and proparoxytones (esdrújulas).
- Art Form: Poetry was highlighted as the supreme art form.
- Themes: Attraction to the journey into the unknown; focus on the inner world.
- Key Modernist Poet: Rubén Darío (Nicaraguan).
- Generation of '98: Many writers exalted the spirituality of Castile. For these writers, common sense often contrasted with their profound subjectivity, each contributing personal feelings, often a pessimistic vision of life.
- Notable Writers (Generation of '98): Antonio Machado (known for Campos de Castilla), Juan Ramón Jiménez (known for Platero y yo).
Notable Artists
Francisco Goya
- Key Themes and Works:
- Black Paintings: Saturn Devouring His Son.
- Portraits: Numerous portraits, including The Duchess of Alba.
- Religious Paintings: Such as Christ Crucified.
- Historical Paintings: Including The Second of May 1808 and The Third of May 1808.
Key Historical Events & Figures (19th Century Spain)
Treaty of Fontainebleau (1807)
- Allowed France to pass through Spain to conquer Portugal.
Mutiny of Aranjuez (1808)
- Effect: Led to the removal of Manuel Godoy and the abdication of Charles IV in favor of his son, Ferdinand VII.
Battle of Trafalgar (1805)
- A decisive naval battle between the combined fleets of France and Spain against the British Royal Navy.
Battle of Bailén (1808)
- A decisive victory for the Spanish forces against Napoleon's army, marking a turning point in the Peninsular War.
Convention of Vergara (1839)
- The peace agreement that ended the First Carlist War.
Reign of Ferdinand VII (1814-1833)
- Divided into three periods:
- Sexenio Absolutista (1814-1820): Restored absolutism and persecuted liberals.
- Trienio Liberal (1820-1823): Notable for figures like Rafael del Riego and Antonio Quiroga.
- Década Ominosa (1823-1833): Revoked the Salic Law, leading to succession disputes.
General Manuel Pavía (1827-1895)
- General who led the coup d'état that ended the First Spanish Republic (1874).
Antonio Cánovas del Castillo (1828-1897)
- Leader of the Conservative Party during the Spanish Restoration period.
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta (1825-1903)
- Leader of the Liberal Party during the Spanish Restoration period.
