Medieval and Renaissance Spanish Literature: Key Works and Themes
The Reconquista and the End of the Middle Ages
The Reconquista, a process that gradually unfolded between several Christian and Muslim kingdoms, characterizes this period in the Iberian Peninsula.
- It concluded in 1492, when the Catholic Monarchs took Granada, the last territory occupied by Muslims.
- That same year, the Jews were permanently expelled from the mainland.
Popular Literature (11th and 12th Centuries)
During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, literature was limited, transmitted orally, and
Read MoreLinguistic History of English: PIE Roots, Periods, and Major Influences
The History of the English Language
Linguistic Background: Proto-Indo-European (PIE)
All the languages discussed are genetically related since they are all descendants of one parent language, Proto-Indo-European (PIE). Major branches include:
- Germanic
- Italic
- Celtic
The lineage leading to English is: Germanic → West Germanic → Anglo-Frisian Group → English.
The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language was a synthetic language with a rich inflectional morphology.
The majority of roots of Proto-Indo-
Read MoreSymbolism in Persepolis and the Critique of the American Dream
Analyzing Symbolism and Meaning in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis
Question: Authors often use symbols to convey meaning and produce an effect on the reader. Analyze these in Persepolis.
In literary works, authors use certain symbols to convey meaning and to produce an effect on the readers. In the graphic novel Persepolis, the symbols that the author uses are based on the Islamic Revolution. These symbols allow for different forms of perception, given that the expectations and way of life for Iranian
Read MoreMastering TOEFL Writing: Essential Essay Templates
Integrated Essay Writing Strategy
Structure of the Integrated Essay
The article (reading passage) and the lecture are structured the same way. The passage presents an introduction plus three body paragraphs, each containing a different argument. The lecture then refutes these arguments in the same sequential order.
Introduction Template
- The reading and the lecture are both about _____.
- The author of the reading feels that ______.
- The lecturer challenges the claims made by the author.
- He is of the opinion
Antonio Machado’s Poetic Evolution and the Stages of the Generation of ’98
Antonio Machado: Poetic Stages and Evolution
Antonio Machado conceives poetry as “a serious palpitation of the spirit,” which distances him from formal Modernist excesses. We distinguish three stages in his poetic trajectory:
First Stage: Intimacy and Symbolism (1903–1907)
This stage is modernist but marked by intimate, Bécquerian sentiment and Symbolism. It begins with Soledades (1903), later amplified in Soledades, Galerías y Otros Poemas (1907). Machado defines his poetry as “essential word
The Aesthetics of Spanish Baroque Poetry: Góngora and Culteranismo
Baroque Poetry: Themes and Characteristics
Culteranismo pursued beauty and formal expression, often obscuring the content. It resorted to sensory metaphors, **hyperbaton**, periphrasis, cultisms, and mythological allusions.
Topics in Baroque Poetry
Regarding the topics, two distinct sections emerged:
- The Main Themes of the Renaissance: Love, nature, and mythology, developed with a logical evolution.
- Moralizing Themes: These reflected on the brevity of life and the transience of earthly things, viewing