Spain in the Early 20th Century: Literature and Society
Narrative of Early 20th Century Spain
Introduction: Historical Context
The 19th century concluded with the Disaster of ’98, where Spain relinquished its last colonial holdings: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. This led to a sense of defeat and decline. In 1902, Alfonso XIII’s reign began, with conservatives and liberals alternating in government peacefully. General Primo de Rivera seized power from 1923 to 1930. The monarchy weakened, and Republicans, supported by socialists and Catalan left-
Read MoreAncient Greece: Society, Classes, and Mythology
Ancient Greece: Society and Mythology
Athenian Social Classes
Athenian society was structured into several distinct classes:
- Politai: Divided into ten tribes across territorial districts (plain, mountain, and coast). They possessed full civil rights, acquired by birth. Their responsibilities included serving in the heavy infantry or cavalry, participating in magistracies, serving in courts, and paying special taxes.
- Metics: Foreigners residing in Athens. Despite being free, they lacked citizenship rights.
Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides: Ancient Greek Tragedy
The Three Great Poets of Tragedy
The three great poets of tragedy are:
- Aeschylus: He wrote more than 80 plays, of which only seven have survived, along with fragments of others. The first dated work is called The Persians. Another outstanding work is Prometheus Bound.
- Sophocles: He enjoyed great prestige in his city and was friends with famous contemporaries such as Herodotus, Hippocrates, and Pericles. In no Greek poet is there a deeper consideration of human pain and destiny. In Antigone, divine
Modernism and the Generation of ’98 in Spain
Modernism and the Generation of ’98
Modernism
Modernism was an artistic movement that spread throughout the creative world. Created by Rubén Darío and José Martí, it features:
- Aesthetic literature: It seeks beauty above all else.
- Escapism: Authors often expressed feelings like boredom and laziness.
- Symbolic elements: Reliance on symbols, such as the swan.
The Generation of ’98
The Generation of ’98 was a group of authors born in the late 19th century who discussed two main topics:
- The decline of Spain.
Roman Historiography: Authors, Works, and Features
The Purpose of Roman Historiography
The purpose of the genus is historiographical: to explain historical events. It appears in 272 BC, influenced by the Greeks. The Romans look to the past, focusing on the idea of Rome; the Greeks focus on the present. Roman historians exhibit two opposing attitudes: complacency and pessimism when describing historical facts, and displeasure when analyzing the evolution (and their refusal of interests) of the events they narrate.
Key Roman Historians
The first annalists,
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Poetry, Theater, and Narrative (1950-1990)
Spanish Poetry: 1950s and Beyond
1950s: Social Poetry
In the 1950s, poetry transitioned from individual existential concerns to expressing political protest and collective anguish. The language became simpler and more direct, aiming to reach a wider audience. Key figures include:
- Blas de Otero: Pido la paz y la palabra (I Ask for Peace and the Word), Ángel fieramente humano (Angel Fiercely Human), Redoble de conciencia (Roll of Conscience)
- Gabriel Celaya: Cantos Iberos (Iberian Songs)
- José Agustín