Chansons de Geste: Medieval Epic Poems
The term refers to the so-called chansons de geste (songs of deeds). A chanson de geste is a type of narrative poem in a Romance language, focusing on historical events with a great profusion of legendary elements.
These songs were performed by traveling minstrels who recited or sang to all types of audiences, from the elevated courts and castles to heterogeneous crowds at fairs and pilgrimages.
The main examples include: La Chanson de Roland, El Cantar de Mio Cid, and the Nibelungenlied.
Chansons
Read MoreMedieval Spanish Poetry: Key Works and Authors
Medieval Spanish Learned Poetry (Mester de Clerecía)
Medieval Spanish literature of the Middle Ages was not limited to local and religious topics, but also addressed major themes of European literature of its time. The length of these texts, often exceeding ten thousand verses, the relevance of their sources and the matters discussed, the vast erudition displayed, and the international nature of the subject make these books perhaps the most interesting of their time.
Archpriest of Hita: The Book
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Catalan Baroque Theater
The baroque comedy strengthened l’espectacularitat.
Francesc Fontanella: author of the most innovative Catalan Baroque theater. His most important works are Tragicomèdia d’amor pastoral and Fermesa per força, offset by a prose work that idealized one world of burlesque to another. His work in verse, Lo desengany, shows shepherds solving their loving disappointments by contemplating a farce that represents the mythological marriage of Venus and Vulcan, a clear example of theater
Read MoreLatin Epic Poetry: Defining Features, History, and Key Works
Characteristics of Latin Epic Poetry
- Origin: Defined as literate epic from its beginnings; a written product where an author consciously chooses the theme and stylistic devices.
- Form: Latin epic is written in verse, specifically the dactylic hexameter, which is considered the quintessential heroic verse.
- Topic: Starting from Greek models, Latin authors elevated remarkable and unrepeatable historical events from their past, such as the Punic Wars, to epic status.
- Heroic Figures: The protagonists of the
Latin American Literary Giants
Juan Carlos Onetti
A precursor to the Latin American Boom, Juan Carlos Onetti’s work, initially overlooked, is now considered classic. During his time, novel writing was uncommon in the Rio de la Plata region, where existing novels either mimicked European styles or focused on local nature and fantastical themes. Onetti, however, fragmented and distorted reality without resorting to fantasy. He centered his narratives on the cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo and their inhabitants, marking a milestone
Read MoreRomanticism in Spain: Era, Authors, and Works
Romanticism in Spain: Era and Context
Romanticism was an artistic and cultural movement that prevailed between 1830-1855 but lasted until 1875. The Spanish society of this period was characterized by the triumph of bourgeois liberalism, which imposed a free market economy and established the equality of all citizens in the law. The Industrial Revolution in Spain was late and weak, exerting little influence.
Romanticism is the expression of the bourgeoisie struggling to gain political, social, and
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