Renaissance Literary Forms: Miscellanies and Humanist Dialogue
Miscellaneous Humanistic Writings
Miscellaneous humanistic writings are collections that mix a variety of topics. These works, similar to books of notes but conceived as a unified book, have ancient roots in the work of Valerius Maximus, entitled Facta et Dicta Memorabilia. In this work, sections were collected into neat anecdotes and deeds of ancient Roman and some Greek characters.
Renaissance Models of Miscellany
In the Renaissance period, miscellanies can be found in several models:
- Collections
Francisco de Quevedo: Analysis of a Baroque Sonnet on Time
The Baroque Context and Quevedo’s Sonnet Structure
The seventeenth-century Baroque art and cultural movement broke away from the schemes of the Renaissance, creating a profound style characterized by exaggeration and disproportion. It was during this period that Francisco de Quevedo wrote this sonnet.
Formal Structure of the Work
The work is a sonnet, composed of two quartets and two tercets. Each verse contains 11 syllables (hendecasyllable), a meter often used to mimic natural speech patterns, making
Read MoreSamuel Johnson’s Rasselas: The Pursuit of Happiness and Eternity
Samuel Johnson’s *Rasselas*: Context and Creation
Johnson’s only novel, Rasselas, was written in the remarkable span of a single week in 1759, prior to the death of his mother. He claimed that he had to write it quickly in order to get money for her funeral. The novel deals with the theme of the human search for happiness, nonetheless ending with the affirmation that the “choice of eternity” is far more important.
Unlike the novels that appeared in the centuries that followed, Rasselas is
Read MoreThe Enduring Friendship of Stanhope and Osborne in Journey’s End
The Centrality of Moral Values in Journey’s End
In R. C. Sherriff’s play, Journey’s End, in addition to depicting the horrors of the First World War, the author’s main purpose is to let the audience reflect on how important moral values are in life. In particular, Sherriff highlights the value of friendship, which is portrayed vividly through the relationship between Captain Stanhope and Lieutenant Osborne. The bond between the two men is presented through a series of key scenes that play an
Read MoreCatalan Theater Revival: Post-War Censorship and Key Authors
Catalan Theater Under the Franco Regime (1939–1975)
The Civil War was a defeat for Catalan culture. The Franco regime forbade the use of the Catalan language, and institutions were suppressed. Literature in Catalan developed mainly in exile or underground. Theater was suppressed until 1946, when some performances resumed, though shows suffered heavy censorship, and it was forbidden to translate works into Catalan.
Early performances represented works from the nineteenth century (such as those by
Read MoreLate Medieval English Literature: Chaucer and Gawain
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A 14th-Century Romance
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is the most famous romance of the late 14th century and one of the best-known Arthurian stories. This work is characterized by its use of the alliterative verse of the epic, combined with a lyrical element.
The Green Knight’s Challenge and Themes
The poem describes how Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, accepts a challenge from a mysterious “Green Knight.” The challenge requires any knight to strike
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