Medieval to Renaissance: Society, Literature, and Cultural Shifts
From Medieval to Renaissance: Society, Literature, and Cultural Shifts
Estates Satire: A Social Commentary
William Langland – Piers Plowman
Medieval Social Hierarchy and Feudalism
The 1066 Norman invasion introduced a system where the land belonged to the king, who divided it among his chief warriors. At the top of the order were the king and the Church. The only people who could read and write tended to take over positions where signing documents was necessary; they were important because they held
Read MoreDecoding Translation: Key Types and Global Significance
Understanding Translation: Process and Purpose
Translation is the process of transferring a message from one language to another, accurately delivering the meaning of words and phrases. Most experts distinguish key features of the translation process: a source text, its inherent meaning (information), and the target text. Translators must also ensure the target text is easy to read and perceived naturally by its audience.
When translating, the meaning of a phrase or word is transferred from a source
Read MoreKey Figures of Spanish Romanticism: Authors & Literary Legacy
José de Espronceda: A Romantic Poet (1808-1842)
In the poetry of José de Espronceda (1808-1842), one discovers all the hallmarks of Romantic poetry, characterized by its fluent metric resources. His life was fully integrated into the Romantic style. He famously eloped with Teresa Mancha, a married woman, leading a turbulent and scandalous love affair until she abandoned him. He died in Madrid at the age of 34.
His early works were inspired by Neoclassicism. He wrote poems for marginalized characters,
Read MoreLinguistic Change: Dynamics, Causes, and Evolution
Introduction to Linguistic Change
Historically, linguists like Saussure and early structuralists distinguished between diachronic and synchronic studies:
- Diachrony: Describes language change and language development over time.
- Synchrony: Describes language structure at a given point in time, without considering ongoing linguistic changes.
Early structuralists believed that:
- Changes that had occurred in a language were irrelevant in a synchronic analysis.
- Language change affected particular individual
Synge’s Aran Islands: Irish Culture, Folklore, and Daily Life
John Millington Synge’s Aran Islands Journey
At the turn of the 19th century, Irish poet and playwright John Millington Synge made numerous visits to the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland. He had been encouraged to make his first visit in 1897 by his friend, William Butler Yeats, who told him: “Go to the Aran Islands. Live there as one of the people themselves; express a life that has never found expression.”
The Author’s Expectation and Reality
I wanted to read this book because I had imagined
Read MoreEuropean Romanticism: 19th Century Literary and Social Movements
The 19th Century: A Time of Change
Industrial Revolution and Social Transformation
In 19th-century England, technology played an increasingly greater role in factories, creating tension between worker sectors and sparking a social revolution. Workers grouped in cities, forming an urban society that slowly embraced a new ethic of progress and a less divinely dependent worldview. It was at this time that a new social class emerged, serving as a model: the bourgeoisie.