Spanish Literary Movements: Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism
I. Romanticism: Characteristics and Key Authors
The Romantic Lyric
The Romantic genre cultivated the lyric because it was the ideal medium to express feelings. It is characterized by a break with neoclassical forms. Topics covered include:
- Love
- Life
- Freedom
Style and Metric Development
Romantic writers use a suggestive and resonant vocabulary, treating language as music and sound. They often employ rhetorical exclamations or question marks to express intense emotions.
Regarding metric, they use verses of
Read MoreEssential Phrases for Different Writing Styles
Informal Letter or Email to a Friend
Opening Phrases
- Hi David,
- Introductory sentence
- How have you been?
- How are things?
- Thanks so much for your last email/letter.
- Sorry I haven’t been in touch for such a long time.
Main Body: Introducing the Topic
This is where you introduce the topic.
- I’ve just read an interesting article about … and I think …
- It’s great to hear that…
- You must tell them to visit…
- Why don’t we/you visit…?
- You should definitely go to…
- I’d really recommend (+ verb + -ing or subject +
Defining Romanticism: Characteristics and Spanish Literary Forms
Concept and Characteristics of Romanticism
Romanticism is an ideological, literary, and artistic movement, fundamentally defined by an attitude toward life marked by the desire for freedom.
Vital Freedom and Conflict
The Romantic spirit is characterized by conflict: conflict with the self, with the world, and with destiny.
- The irrational spirit breaks the boundaries of the rational and the real. However, the limitations and disappointments of life often create an uneasiness that can lead to suicide.
Spanish Literary History: Journalism and Drama in the 20th Century
The Interplay of Literature and Journalism in Spain
The Press as a Vehicle for Cultural Transmission (Pre-1950)
The press was key to primary cultural transmission and the formation of political criteria. Writers utilized journals to disseminate their ideas, and newspapers published high-quality weekly literary supplements.
Key Figures in Early Literary Journalism
- Unamuno: Started writing in El Noticiero Bilbaíno and contributed to many newspapers. His most famous work was published as a series of twelve
Key Figures and Concepts in Literary Criticism
I.A. Richards: The Psychological Basis of Value
Richards addressed a fundamental question: How can we determine the value of art when traditional morals are declining?
His answer posits that value originates in psychology, specifically in the arrangement and balance of human desires.
Core Concepts in Richards’ Theory
- Impulses: Humans possess numerous desires that frequently clash. Society attempts to shape these impulses but never fully controls them.
- Appetencies and Aversions: Appetencies are desires
Celtic, Roman, and Scandinavian Roots of the English Nation
The Foundations of Britain: Celts, Romans, and Language
The Early Inhabitants and Celtic Society
This section focuses on the early history of Britain. The origins of the Iberians are uncertain, leading to their designation. Historical records are sparse regarding whether they possessed ships, raising questions about how they crossed the Channel. The Irish, though lacking traditional ships, utilized a strange device for navigation, albeit without directional control.
The Celts originated in central
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