Antonio Machado & Juan Ramón Jiménez: Lives and Poetry
Antonio Machado (1875-1939)
Biography
- Born in Seville into a family with intellectual roots and reformist ideology.
- He spent his youth in Madrid and studied at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Institution of Education).
- He spent time in Paris, and upon his return, began publishing in modernist journals.
- He moved to Soria in 1907 as a Professor of French, where he met and married Leonor Izquierdo.
- In 1912, his wife fell ill and died. The poet’s immense sadness led him to leave Soria in the following
Caterina Albert (Víctor Català) & 19th Century Catalan Literature
Caterina Albert i Paradís (Víctor Català)
Biography and Career
Caterina Albert i Paradís, better known by her pen name Víctor Català, was born in L’Escala on September 11, 1896, and died there on January 27, 1966. Associated with Catalan Modernisme, she was the daughter of a politician and had two brothers. She was a novelist, storyteller, poet, and playwright.
A shy and solitary woman, she was largely self-taught. Her work often explored dark themes, including violence and the harshness of rural
Read MoreMedieval & Pre-Renaissance Spanish Literary Works
Medieval Spanish Literature Highlights
Hispano-Hebrew Literature and Conversos
Focus on Hispano-Hebrew literature and works concerning Moors, Conversos (New Christians), often presenting a critical attitude towards the society that despised them for their origins.
Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy)
Mester de Juglaría: The craft of minstrels (juglares) who performed epic poems, lyrics, and other works, often for popular audiences.
- Topics: Included military exploits, courtly lyrics, and poetry by both male
Lorca, Alberti, Valle-Inclán: Pillars of Spanish Theater & Poetry
Federico García Lorca: Renowned Spanish Playwright
Federico García Lorca is one of Spain’s most famous playwrights. His theatrical production began with The Butterfly’s Evil Spell. Lorca believed theater should serve to raise social awareness and also believed in the poet’s power to transform reality through words. His poetic language, influenced by Valle-Inclán, is central to his work. His plays blend poetry and symbolism, integrating text, set design, music, and dance to create a total Lorcan
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: Social Voice & Experience in the 50s-60s
Spanish Poetry of the Fifties
This period begins around 1955 with two significant books: Pido la paz y la palabra by Blas de Otero and Cantos Íberos by Gabriel Celaya.
Poetry was considered a form of communication addressed to the vast majority, aiming to be a tool for transforming the world.
Characteristics of Fifties Poetry
- It prioritizes the message over the form.
- The language is colloquial, sometimes prosaic.
- Predominant themes include Spain, the denunciation of injustices, work, and freedom.
- The
Rome’s Rise: Punic Wars and Early Republic Foundation
Punic Wars: Rome’s Mediterranean Expansion
During the mid-third century BC, Rome was immersed in one of its most significant conflicts: the wars against the Carthaginians, known as the Punic Wars. The primary cause was the clash resulting from Rome’s westward expansionist ambitions.
Roman legends sometimes attributed the deep-seated animosity to the story of Aeneas. Fleeing Troy for Italy, he supposedly stopped in Carthage, fell in love with Queen Dido, and later abandoned her, leading to her suicide.
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