Catalan Literature: From Medieval Times to the 20th Century
Linguistic Foundations
Vowel System: 8 sounds. According to Toni, unstressed vowels are mentioned and neutralization occurs. Reduced vowels. Jaw: A diphthong grows. Umlaut: Pronounced for the sake of those who break and diphthongize. Open or closed and stressed. Then open: Ring diphthongs. Growing: Those who use ‘qua’ or ‘quo’ and /u/ between vowels and word, transcribe it like /j/ or /w/. Cases of non-neutralization: Adverbs ending in ‘-ment’, groups ‘ae’ or ‘ea’, and compound words.
Narrative Structures
Linear Structure: Explains the facts following a chronological approach, where the action is presented, followed by the situation. Knot: Explains where the evolution of the plot increases until the climax. Resolution: Where the story ends. Nonlinear Structure: Not in chronological order. In media res: The issue begins in the middle. Flashback: Backspace in time. Flash forward: To let the reader know something that will happen later. The pace of the narrative may vary. Description: Slower. Summary: Increases. Dialogue: Gives more vivacity.
Narrative Elements
Viewpoints: Internal: The protagonist explains in the first person. Witness: Third person, but you know the facts. Multiselective: The narrator explains several characters from an external perspective. Total omniscience: Knows all the circumstances, only explains what is seen. Voice: Partial. Time: Historic: The era in which the narrative takes place, the days of the year. Space: Indoor or outdoor, open or closed. Personality: Flat: Simple and do not evolve. Round: More complex and tend to evolve. Main: Move the plot. Secondary: They are fundamental. Antagonists: Impeding the course of the plot.
Narrative Genres
Fiction: Epic: A vast narrative poem that tells the adventures of gods or heroes. Romance: A narrative in verse that emerged in 12th-century France about legends related to King Arthur. Story: A brief narrative that explains extraordinary events. Folk tale: Oral, with a moralistic function. Literary work: By a known author. Novella: A short story in prose. Novel: A narration that explains an extensive fictional story.
Nonfiction: Essay: A narrative text that expresses ideas about politics. Memoirs: An autobiographical narration that explains events.
11th-13th Centuries
The first narrative was the ‘Song of Roland’, epics that were broadcast by minstrels. It was developed in France and came to be represented in Catalonia, becoming the predecessor of the chivalric novel. Thanks to the royal chancery, Catalan began to be standardized. Two types of narrative appeared:
- Philosophical and didactic prose: Ramon Llull (Felix or the Book of Wonders). Christian literature, intended for dissemination. Considered the first classic of the literature.
- The Chronicles: Jaume I (Book of Deeds), Bernard Desclot (Chronicle of the Reign of King Peter III of Aragon), Ramon Muntaner (The Chronicle), Peter III (The Chronicle).
14th-15th Centuries
Medieval crisis of values and the appearance of humanistic culture:
- Religious and moral prose: Cultivated by monks who used literature as a vehicle for preaching. Francesc Eiximenis, Vicent Ferrer, Anselm Turmeda.
- Humanistic prose: Reflects rationalist attitudes from Italy. Bernat Metge (Lo Somni – The Dream).
- Chivalric novel: A new kind of narrative that completely breaks away from the novels of chivalry, abandons the Arthurian theme, and adopts a realistic theme. Presents a likely action set in specific places and times, starring characters of flesh and blood. Leading a knight-errant. (Joanot Martorell).
- Novel of chivalry: In French, a story in verse about the adventures of a hero who shows loyalty to a princess.
16th-18th Centuries
16th Century: The Colloquies of the Famous City of Tortosa by Christopher Despuig, considered the most important work. Catalonia is in an era of decline due to the New Plant Decree and the use of Castilian as a language. Despuig claims Catalan. The Mirror of Religious Life by Michael Comalada.
18th Century: Rafael d’Amat, Baron of Maldà (Calaix de Sastre – Tailor’s Drawer). Tale of Tales by Lluís Galiana shows the richness of the vernacular. The popular narrative: Story: A story that explains events of folklore to distract. Legend: Traditional story, fantasy is more present, more formal language. Joan Amades: Folklore in the United States.
The Renaissance
It was promoted thanks to a new industrial revolution. The historical novel appeared. Published in 1862, L’Orfaneta de Menàrguens by Bofarull of Danton. In the mid-19th century, the realistic novel was born. In Catalonia, the transition from romantic to realistic novel was brought about by the ‘table of manners’, which made a picturesque description of reality. Emili Vilanova. The realistic novel incorporates the influence of customs: Martí Genís i Aguilar, Josep Pin i Soler. Narcís Oller was the creator of a modern Catalan novel, an exponent of the naturalistic novel (La Febre d’Or – The Gold Fever).
Modernism
A movement that included artists and intellectuals who sought to make Catalan culture a modern national culture. Change: Regenerationism: A committed attitude based on the idea that we must influence society. Aestheticism: An escapist attitude that conceives art as a shelter. Stages: Combative: The first theoretical manifestos are established. Expansion: Principles established by Raimon Casellas: integrity and intensity. Authors: Symbolic conflict: Raimon Casellas, Víctor Català, Prudenci Bertrana, Joaquim Ruyra. Didactics: Josep Folch i Torres, Josep Maria Pous i Pagès.
Noucentisme
A movement that continued the impulse of Modernism regarding modernization but from a defined program under the coverage of regionalist league politics. Key Terms: Arbitrarism: Intervene in reality. The artist’s domain of the work, linked to making it a model for reality. Imperialism: Arbitrarism applied to politics. Subsidiary Terms: Classicism, Mediterraneanism, civility. Stages: Combative: Major works of Noucentist literature are established. Institutionalization of culture: Aesthetic renewal of art. Rupture with previous movements. Movements from European Cubism and Futurism emerge. Vibrationism arises. Chronology: 1915-1924.
20th Century
Essay: Eugeni d’Ors. Psychological Novel: Mercè Rodoreda, Josep Pla. Historical Realism: Josep Maria Espinàs. Víctor Català: Solitude. Mercè Rodoreda: The Diamond Plaza. Josep Pla: The Gray Notebook. Pere Calders: Here Lies Nevares. Jaume Cabré: The Voices of Pamano.