Spanish Literature: Romanticism & Prose Analysis
Spanish Literature: Romanticism and Prose
Coordinated Compound Sentences
A coordinated compound sentence combines two or more independent clauses (propositions) on the same syntactic level without dependence or subordination. They are connected through various conjunctions:
- Copulative: Addition (e.g., and, e, ni)
- Disjunctive: Alternation or choice (e.g., either)
- Adversative: Contrast or opposition (e.g., but, however, although)
- Consecutive: Consequence (e.g., therefore, consequently)
- Explanatory: Clarification (e.g., that is, i.e.)
- Distributive: Correlation between facts (e.g., unos…otros, bien…bien, ora…ora, ya…ya)
Romantic Theatre
Romantic theatre rejected Neoclassical rules of action, time, and place. Key features include:
- Themes drawn from legends and stories
- Emphasis on authorial voice and individuality
- Exploration of impossible love, freedom, rebellion, and idealism
- Settings like castles, nighttime, or cemeteries
Key Authors and Works:
- Duke of Rivas (The Power of Fate): Don Álvaro’s love for Leonor is forbidden by her father. A series of tragic accidents and misunderstandings lead to the deaths of Leonor and her brother, culminating in Don Álvaro’s suicide.
- José Zorrilla (Don Juan Tenorio): Don Juan, a notorious womanizer, makes a bet to seduce Doña Inés, a novice. His actions lead him towards damnation, but his love for Doña Inés ultimately saves him.
Prose
Mariano José de Larra:
- Born in Madrid in 1809, died in 1837.
- Journalist and satirist, known for his critical and ironic observations.
- Published under pseudonyms like “Fígaro.”
- Works can be classified into: Customs (e.g., “Vuelva usted mañana”, “En este país”, “El castellano viejo”), Political (e.g., “Nadie pase sin hablar al portero”), and Literary Criticism (e.g., “Romantic Drama”).
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer:
- Wrote two major prose works:
- Legends: 28 short stories exploring romantic themes, mystery, and fantasy, often based on natural and legendary elements (e.g., “The Green Eyes”, “The Moonlight”).
- Letters from My Cell: 9 letters written from the Veruela monastery, reflecting on themes like nature, impressions, and the landscape.
Textual Analysis and Commentary
Analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating a text (fragment or full) helps us understand the author’s message and draw conclusions. A good commentary involves:
- Careful Reading: Grasp the text’s meaning.
- Lexical Analysis: Examine word choice and meaning.
- Contextualization: Identify the text’s origin, author’s background, and historical context.
- Internal Structure Analysis: Analyze content based on theme, plot, and structure.
- External Structure Analysis: Discuss text type (dialogue, narration, description), linguistic resources (phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic), and literary devices (metaphor, comparison, hyperbaton, epithet).
- Critical and Personal Evaluation: Summarize key points, draw conclusions, and offer a personal assessment of the text’s value and significance.