Baroque Literature: Splendor and Decline in 17th Century Spain
UNIT 17: BAROQUE SPLENDOR AND DECLINE
Introduction
The Baroque, a cultural and artistic movement that flourished during the 17th century, coincided with a period of economic, political, and cultural crisis in Spain. This period was marked by widespread misery, depopulation caused by epidemics like the plague, frequent wars, and religious conflicts. The crisis was particularly acute in Castile, where the decline in the arrival of precious metals from America led to bankruptcy and a severe economic
Read More20th Century Catalan Literature: Trends, Authors, and Movements
Catalan Literature After the Civil War
Main Literary Trends
Since 1950, the novel and the short story regained the importance they held before the Civil War. The main literary trends are:
- The Psychological Novel: This trend focuses on analyzing the inner world and moral life of a character. Its most prominent representative is Mercè Rodoreda.
- The Realist Novel: This trend denounces the reality of the time. Its main representatives are Manuel de Villalonga and Pedrolo.
Outside of this classification,
Read MoreCatalan Literature After the Spanish Civil War: A Literary Renaissance
Literature of the War
Since 1950, the novel and the short story regained the importance they held before the Spanish Civil War. The main literary trends are:
Main Literary Trends
- The Psychological Novel: This genre focuses on the analysis of the inner world and the moral life of a character. The most notable representative is Mercè Rodoreda.
- Realist Novel: This genre denounces the realities of the time. The main representatives are Manuel de Villalonga and Pedrolo.
Outside of this classification, it’
Read MoreGeneration of ’27: Prose & Poetry of the Spanish Avant-Garde
The Prose of the Generation of ’27
It moved from a strictly literary conception of the avant-garde to the consideration that artwork should also express the moral, social, and political concerns of the authors.
Ortega’s ideas about the novel had a decisive influence. Important aspects were originality, unusual scenes, the use of fantasy and imagination, creating environments, as well as humor, wit, and irony.
Key Prose Writers
Benjamin Jarnés
The most important of the avant-garde narrators. Some titles
Read MoreBaroque Theatre: The New Comedy in Spain’s Golden Age
The Legacy of the Renaissance
After the medieval religious drama, which preserves the Auto de los Reyes Magos, and early in the second half of the fifteenth century with Lucas Fernandez and Juan del Enzina Eclogues, the Renaissance brought a limited dramatic production. In the first half of the sixteenth century, noteworthy figures included Torres Naharro, Gil Vicente, and Lope de Rueda, known for their contributions to popular theater. Other prominent figures were Juan de la Cueva, known for his
Read MoreSpanish Literature in the 18th Century
The 18th century witnessed the progressive decline of the Baroque style and the emergence of new aesthetic trends. This period exhibits a diverse range of styles with distinct characteristics.
Aesthetic Styles and Characteristics
Several key styles shaped the literature of this era:
- Posbarroco: This style prevailed during the first half of the 18th century, maintaining thematic and formal links with the previous century’s Baroque. A shift towards a more optimistic worldview is evident, replacing the