Golden Age Spanish Literature: Gongora and Theater
Work of Luis de Góngora
Poetic Language and Style
Luis de Góngora, a respected and renowned poet of his time, developed a brilliant poetic language and unique style known as culteranismo. His poetry aimed to transform reality into a new world of beauty through metaphors. Góngora’s work is characterized by its aesthetic and sensory nature, appealing to the reader’s intellect rather than emotions.
Learned Poetry
From his early sonnets, Góngora displayed a penchant for learned poetry. This tendency
Read More17th Century Spanish Literature: Gongora, Quevedo, and Lope
17th Century Spanish Literature
Luis de Góngora
Born in Cordoba to an illustrious family, Luis de Góngora studied at the University of Salamanca. Known for his unfriendly and arrogant demeanor, he was an enemy of Quevedo. His work, purely poetic, ranges in tone from serious and noble to humorous and burlesque.
Letrillas and Romances
His letrillas and romances (e.g., Da goods, Fortuna, cried the girl, sister Marikca) cover a variety of themes. Maintaining the vitality and charm of this verse form,
Read MoreNarcis Oller and the Catalan Novel: From Romanticism to Naturalism
The Importance of the Lieder Theatre
The Lieder Theatre holds great significance in the history of Catalan literature for several reasons:
- Final recovery of Catalan theatre: Verdaguer and Oller became involved in poetry and novels.
- Projection of Catalan theatre works: Works like “Sea and Heaven” and “Terra Baixa” gained prominence.
- Representation of the best tradition of Catalan theatre: It achieved great public success.
Narrative: The Historical Novel and Realism
The recovery of the Catalan language
Read MoreThe Generation of ’27 and Contemporary Spanish Literature
The Generation of ’27
Overview
The Generation of ’27 was a group of Spanish poets who blended tradition and modernity. Notable authors include Lorca, Alberti, and Cernuda. This literary movement can be divided into two stages:
- Pure Poetry (1922-1928): Characterized by the elimination of excessive emotion, poetic rigor, and refined language.
- Avant-Garde Influence (1928-1936): Some poets continued with pure poetry, while others embraced avant-garde forms, particularly Surrealism.
The Spanish Civil War
Read MoreLuces de Bohemia: Historical and Literary Context
1. Historical Context and its Reflection in the Work
Luces de Bohemia, a satirical work by Ramón del Valle-Inclán, offers a critique of Spanish politics, society, and religion. It serves as a denunciation of the Spanish situation of the time. Valle-Inclán utilizes the play to reflect various aspects of Spanish reality through a distorted lens. Some of the key aspects criticized include:
- References to the imperial past (Philip II, El Escorial).
- References to the Spanish colonies in America, the
20th Century Spanish Theater: From Realism to Experimentalism
Spanish Theater in the 20th Century
Post-Civil War Theater (1939-1950)
Like poetry and the novel, Spanish theater was deeply affected by the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). Post-war authorities saw theater as a tool for healing the psychological wounds inflicted by the war. This led to the production of low-quality plays that, nonetheless, were enthusiastically received by the public. Major playwrights like Federico García Lorca and Miguel Hernandez died as a result of the war, while others, such
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