The Song of Roland: History, Legend, and Medieval Epic
The Song of Roland (La Chanson de Roland in French) is an epic poem consisting of several thousand lines, written in the late eleventh century in Old French. It is attributed to a Norman monk named Turoldus, whose name appears on the last, enigmatic line: “Ci falt Turoldus declinet gesta.” However, the meaning of the verb “decline” in this verse is unclear; it could mean ‘sing,’ ‘compose,’ ‘transcribe,’ or ‘copy.’ It is considered the oldest epic poem written in a Romance language in Europe. The
Read MoreCatalan Literary and Cultural Movements: From Romanticism to Modernity
Romanticism: Individualism and National Identity
Romanticism emphasized the importance of the individual, extolling sentiments, and advocating for freedom and the historical personality of each nation.
The Renaissance: Catalan Literary Revival
The Renaissance period in literature is known for its significant cultural shifts. The Catalan cultural Renaissance, following a period of decline, was a movement focused on the revitalization and recovery of the Catalan language, history, and literature.
Jocs
Read MoreMiguel Hernández: Themes of Life, Love, and Death in Poetry
Life, Love, and Death in Miguel Hernández’s Poetry
In the work of Miguel Hernández, the central themes are life, love, and death. Love is often presented as a positive value, though it also reveals great suffering. Critics distinguish several facets of love in his poetry: “love-pain,” “love-hate,” and “hope-love.” His early compositions, particularly those in Primeras composiciones (Primroses), often appear poetic and vacillating. He treats love with a tender and platonic form, lamenting love,
Read MoreThe Spanish Golden Age: Literary Flourishing and Cultural Zenith
The Golden Age of Spain spans approximately from the end of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, transitioning from the 15th to the 16th century, until the death of the last Habsburg monarch, Charles II, in 1700. During these two centuries, Spain reached its political and territorial zenith. This was a period marked by continuous wars, whose expenditures, despite the silver flowing from the Indies, profoundly affected the economy.
Literary Zenith and the Evolution of Castilian
From a literary perspective,
Read MoreSpanish Theater Evolution: Post-Civil War to Present
Spanish Theater After the Civil War
After the Civil War, Spanish theater lost its most innovative writers, as many were either deceased or in exile. This period saw the development of conventional theater, largely based on previous popular melodrama. Its primary aim was to amuse and entertain a conservative audience. Strict censorship prevented the emergence of new works that posed even minimal dissent from established moral and social values.
Postwar Conventional Theater (1940s-1950s)
The postwar
Read MoreSpanish Literary Movements: From Noucentisme to Post-War Eras
Generation of 14 and Noucentisme
- Authors with strong intellectual formation.
- View Europe as a role model.
- Eagerness for modernization.
- Rigorously analyze the problems adversely affecting Spain.
- Emerged after the First World War.
- Most important authors: José Ortega y Gasset, Ramón Pérez de Ayala, Juan Ramón Jiménez.
- Aim for a dehumanized literature.
- Influenced by the avant-garde.
Avant-Garde Movements
Artistic movements that arose in Europe. Their intention was to renew and break from everything previous.
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