Exploring Literary Genres: Epic, Lyric, and Dramatic Forms
Literary Genres
The Lyric
Lyric poetry expresses the writer’s feelings in verse. It relies on self-revelation and exploration, employing rhythm and tonality. Key features of lyric poetry include:
- Conciseness and brevity
- Absence of extensive spatial-temporal frameworks
- Frequent lack of plot, focusing on a specific theme
- Use of poetic devices at all levels
While verse is common, lyric can also exist in prose. Verse introduces elements like rhythm (achieved through sound repetition, pauses, and accents)
Read MoreNature, Love, and the Poetic Voice of Miguel Hernández
Nature’s Influence on Miguel Hernández
Nature played a vital role in shaping Miguel Hernández’s poetic voice. As a pastor, he was deeply connected to the natural world, using it as a source of inspiration and metaphor. His early works, such as Perito en Lunas, celebrate the cycles of nature, the countryside, and the landscape. The star becomes a symbol of fertility and life, and through vivid metaphors, Hernández sings to the palm, the pomegranate, the bull, and the sea, transforming these elements
Read MoreEvolution of Latin American Fiction in the 20th Century
Influences and Early Trends
Several factors shaped the evolution of Latin American fiction. These include the historical and social context of Latin America, the significance of the landscape, the mythical world of indigenous and African cultures, and the influence of European and American literature.
Two main narrative approaches emerged in the 20th century: realism and innovation.
Realism
Realism dominated the first thirty years of the 20th century. It was based on the belief in representing an objective
Read More18th & 19th Century Spanish Literature: Neoclassicism and Romanticism
Neoclassicism (18th Century)
The 18th century in Spanish literature is known as the Neoclassical period, reflecting the dominant intellectual spirit. However, two other trends existed within this framework: Post-Baroque, continuing Baroque formalism, and Pre-Romanticism, a melancholic current emerging in the late 18th century.
Key Characteristics of Neoclassicism:
- Universality and verisimilitude
- Unity of style and genre separation
- Moral and educational purpose
- Emphasis on informative prose and essays
Prose
Early
Read MorePost-War Spanish Literature: Trends and Themes
Post-War Spanish Literature
1940s Literature
Post-war writers rejected the notion of pure art, believing that literature should address the realities of Spain. Literary works were filled with existential angst, allegations of injustice, solidarity, and personal experiences. Censorship hindered freedom of expression, forcing several authors into exile. Others used symbols and allegories to represent the social and political situation.
Two main trends emerged:
- Conservative: This trend shared the ideals
Medieval Narrative: Didacticism in 14th-Century Literature
The Shift in Literary Transmission
The 14th century witnessed significant changes in how literary works were disseminated, transitioning from oral traditions (songs and minstrel recitations) to individual, silent reading. Two prominent works, the Book of Good Love by Juan Ruiz (Archpriest of Hita) and Count Lucanor by Don Juan Manuel, exemplify this shift.
The Book of Good Love
This unique work, with no clear European parallel, formally inherits the mester de clerecía style with its use of a frame
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