Analysis of Bécquer’s Rhymes
Rima VII
Metric: Bécquer utilizes assonance in these Rima verses. With the exception of the last lines in the first two stanzas, each verse consists of ten syllables. The rhyme scheme follows a pattern of three quatrains, structured as:
- 10, 10, -10, 10
Theme: “Hidden Talent”
Stylistic Devices:
- Hyperbaton: “From living in the dark corner, (v 1) of its owner perhaps asleep” (v 2).
- Metaphor: “How much sleep in their string note, (v 5) As the bird sleeps in the branches “(v 6)
- Personification: “(the genius)
Roman Historiography: An Overview of Key Authors and Styles
Roman Historiography
Historiography, the study and narrative of past events, is arguably the oldest literary genre. Memories of the past have always been transmitted orally, giving rise to epic poetry and eventually, historiography. Roman historiography, however, differed significantly from its Greek counterpart. It was less rigorous and more moralistic, often judging and interpreting events from a Roman perspective rather than presenting them objectively.
Sources of Roman Historiography
Understanding
Read MoreThe Roman Empire and Its Aftermath
Unit 12: The Roman Empire: Power and Production
The Appropriation of Nature and Transformations of Space
In the second century, the Roman Empire reached its greatest expansion. Rome controlled a large part of European territory and exercised its power through the construction of infrastructure works of great magnitude:
- Bridges, road networks, river ports, and maritime routes facilitated trade and travel.
- Sewers, culverts, and aqueducts improved the lives of its inhabitants.
- Military enclaves and walls
The New Latin American Novel: A Literary Boom
1. The Rise of New Narrative Forms (1940s-1950s)
The 1940s and 1950s witnessed a period of experimentation with new storytelling forms in Latin American literature. This shift coincided with significant social transformations across the continent, including rapid urbanization and a move away from the post-colonial rural landscapes of the 19th century.
Several literary trends emerged during this time:
- Metaphysical narratives by authors like Jorge Luis Borges and José Lezama Lima.
- Existentialist narratives
Hispanic American Literature: A 20th-Century Overview
The Novel
Early Influences (Until 1945)
The Hispanic American novel experienced a boom in the mid-20th century, influenced by foreign literature. Early novels, marked by realism, naturalism, and modernism, explored social conflicts, exploitation, colonization, revolution, and the struggle against nature. Key themes included the exploited Indigenous population, tyrannical landowners, and powerful women. Notable works include Mariano Azuela’s The Underdogs, Martín Luis Guzmán’s Memories of Pancho
Read MoreModernist Spanish Poets: Jiménez, Machado, and Darío
Juan Ramón Jiménez (1881–1958)
Born in Moguer (Huelva), Juan Ramón Jiménez, the self-proclaimed Andaluz Universal, signed some of his works with this title. He studied at El Puerto de Santa Maria and began painting and writing poetry from a young age. He showed signs of poor health, which was aggravated by the death of his father. In 1900, he went to Madrid to champion Modernism, thus becoming considered one of its pioneers in Spain. Gradually, he became a mentor to other poets, who admired
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