Life and Works of Miguel de Cervantes: A Deep Dive
Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)
Life
Born in Alcalá de Henares, Cervantes traveled to Italy at 22. A soldier who fought in the Battle of Lepanto, he suffered a crippling hand injury. Captured and held in Algiers for five years, upon returning to Spain, he worked as a tax collector. Accused of fraud, he served time in prison. Shortly after, he published the first part of Don Quixote (1605). Despite its success, his financial situation remained difficult. He died on April 23, 1616.
Work
Cervantes explored
Read More20th-Century Spanish Literature and Journalism
Spanish Literature in the 20th Century
The 20th century saw a significant rise of the essay in Spanish literature, reflecting a turbulent historical period. Several factors contributed to this boom, including a crisis of traditional perspectives, radical social transformations, wars, accelerated historical change, and increased individualism. The essay became a vehicle for reflecting on the increasingly complex realities of this era.
1. Early 20th Century
1.1. The Essay in the Generation of ’98
Following
Read MoreMiguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote
Cervantes’s Life and Times
Miguel de Cervantes’s life spanned two distinct periods: the Renaissance, characterized by idealism and natural language, and the Baroque, marked by pessimism and artificial language. Born in 1547 and died in 1616, his work reflects this shift, with Don Quixote epitomizing the transition. His personal experiences often became literary material.
Raised in the Renaissance humanist tradition, Cervantes witnessed the political decline of the
Read More70 Years of Narrative: A Look at Spanish Literature After Franco
The Post-Franco Literary Boom
After General Franco’s death, Spanish literature experienced a resurgence. The end of censorship, the recovery of exiled writers’ works, and increased exposure to international narratives significantly contributed to this growth. In the 1970s, authors continued to explore intellectual and experimental novels, often prioritizing how content was presented over the plot itself. Fragmented stories and interior monologues became prevalent. This period gave rise to the generation
Read MoreSpanish Narrative (1940-1970): From Realism to Experimentation
Spanish Narrative (1940-1970)
From Realism to Experimentation
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) profoundly impacted subsequent cultural activity. Literature became an escape for some and an instrument of denunciation for others. During the 1940s, authors like Camilo José Cela, with The Family of Pascual Duarte (1942), and Miguel Delibes, with The Shadow of the Cypress is Long (1947), ushered in an era of realism, reflecting a commitment to portraying reality. By the 1960s, this formula began to evolve,
Read MoreThe Sacrifice of Iphigenia: A Roman Mosaic Masterpiece
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
Description
This Roman mosaic depicts the sacrifice of Iphigenia by her father, King Agamemnon. It is made using opus vermiculatum, a technique where small, precisely cut tiles (tesserae) create intricate details and a shimmering effect. The mosaic originates from the Roman city of Empúries (Girona) and is now housed in the Archaeological Museum of Barcelona.
Formal Analysis
This mosaic, typical of Roman interior decoration, showcases the wealth of its owner. Romans used
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