Key Movements in 20th Century Latin American Novels
Realism in Latin American Novels
This movement focused on the life difficulties within Hispanic American republics, often with a testimonial purpose. Realist novels frequently addressed the oppression of Indigenous peoples, generating indignation.
Notable authors and works include:
- Mariano Azuela
- Rómulo Gallegos: Doña Bárbara
- Ricardo Güiraldes: Don Segundo Sombra
- José Eustasio Rivera: La Vorágine (The Vortex)
- Jorge Icaza: Huasipungo
- Ciro Alegría: El mundo es ancho y ajeno (The World is Broad and
Miguel Hernández and Spanish Poetry After 1936
The Generation of ’36 and Miguel Hernández
The period from 1936-1939 saw the development of ideological propaganda literature, often lacking in literary quality. However, Miguel Hernández stands out.
Miguel Hernández (1910-1942)
He bridges the Generation of ’27 and the Generation of ’36. His work typically explores three main themes:
- The tragic sense of life
- Love
- Social commitment
His poetry utilizes both traditional verse forms and free verse. He employs symbols, including erotic (belly, pain), feminine
Read MoreGreek Mythology: Zeus, Athena, and the Divine Reigns
The Reign of Divine Chronos: 2nd Generation
Uranus hated his monstrous children and kept them locked in Tartarus. Gaia (Earth) was angry with Uranus and asked the Titans to avenge their father. Only Cronus accepted, receiving a sickle from his mother to castrate Uranus. From the blood of Uranus that fell to Earth, a new generation of monsters, the Gigantes, were born. Cronus then overthrew his father and seized power on Mount Olympus. He married his sister Rhea, with whom he had three children: Hestia,
Read MoreMedieval Narrative Verse & Prose: A Literary Journey
Medieval Narrative Verse and Prose
Narrative Verse
Narrative verse, typically composed in rhyming eight-syllable lines, offered a rich channel for storytelling. These verses allowed for complex plots, diverse characters, and interwoven subplots. Drawing inspiration from legends, they fueled the imagination with tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and other fictional characters. The primary aim was entertainment and pleasure, though exemplary values were often incorporated.
The Romance genre featured knights
Read MoreSpanish Novels: Post-War to Late 60s – Existentialism & Realism
The Spanish Novel: From Post-War Era to the Late ’60s
Existentialism in the Novel
In 1942, during the post-war period, Camilo Jose Cela published Pascual Duarte’s Family. Its main features include:
- Its central theme is the uncertainty surrounding the human condition.
- It features scenes of harshness: its characters solve their problems violently. His characters are oppressed and marginalized.
- The narrative predominantly uses a first-person narrator.
Cela began his career as a novelist in the mainstream,
Read MoreUnderstanding the Cultural Significance of the Middle Ages
Historical Epoch: Middle Ages is considered the period between the fall of the Roman Empire (AD 476) and the year 1492, the date of the discovery of America and the conquest of Granada, which determined the end of the Reconquista. It is a period of cultural coexistence between Jews, Christians, and Arabs, which is an enrichment exemplified by the Toledo School of Translators, founded by Archbishop Raymond during the reign of Alfonso X the Wise. The medieval literature ranges from the first literary
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