Understanding Magical Realism: Definition and Characteristics
Magical Realism: Definition and Characteristics
Magical realism is a meta-linguistic and literary genre of the mid-twentieth century. The term was first used by an art critic, the German Franz Roh, to describe painting which demonstrated an altered reality, but was later used by certain Latin American writers. The novel Doña Bárbara by Rómulo Gallegos is considered the initiator of this literary trend.
Magical realism is defined as the stylistic concern and interest in showing the unreal or strange
Read MoreLope de Vega: Genius of Baroque Theater and Spanish Literature
Lope de Vega: Genius of Baroque Theater
Lope de Vega is a great genius of Baroque theater and one of the leading authors of Spanish literature. His reputation is supported by the quality and abundance of his work, as well as by the dramatic innovations introduced in Spanish theater. Lope modified the rules of precedent and created the national comedy. A comedy, he said, was to follow three guidelines:
- To imitate the actions of individuals.
- Custom portrait.
- To please the public of any social condition.
Lyric Poetry: Origins, Themes, and Key Figures of Ancient Greece
Lyric Poetry: Origin and Meaning
The term “lyric” refers to poetry accompanied by a lyre. This form originated in Greece (Asia Minor) during the Archaic Period (7th century BC). New social classes emerged, demanding greater involvement in civic affairs. Society shifted away from the heroic ideals of epic poetry, embracing individualism. Lyric poetry celebrated love, friendship, and grief, reflecting a more intimate and personal perspective. These poems, often composed by individual authors, evolved
Read MoreThe Roman Republic: Institutions and Expansion
The Roman Republic (509-27 BC)
After Brutus’ uprising, there were no kings to rule Rome. Patricians created several institutions to control Rome, such as the Senate, which was the most important ruling organ. It was an assembly composed of 300 members that belonged to the Patrician families. Once senators were chosen, they held the charge for life. They advised and controlled magistrates. The Senate had powers to decide about war and peace.
Citizens gathered in popular assemblies or comitia. Their
Read MoreDecadentism, Symbolism, Parnassianism & Pre-Raphaelitism
Decadentism, Symbolism, Parnassianism, and Pre-Raphaelitism
Decadentism
Decadentism is a complex movement. A body of literature emerged in the final part of the 19th century that joins some features of the Parnassians, Symbolists, and the *poètes maudits* (‘damned poets’). It stems from a very pessimistic vision of existence, which is considered problematic and degraded, sometimes seeking aesthetic and vital refinement. That is why the figure of the dandy is closely linked to the poet. The dandy’
Read MoreLuis Cernuda and Rafael Alberti: Spanish Poets
Luis Cernuda
Luis Cernuda was born in Seville in 1902. A pupil of Pedro Salinas, he lived in Madrid and was a Reader at the University of Toulouse in 1928-29. During the Spanish Civil War, he actively supported the Republican cause. In 1938, he went into exile, and lived in Mexico from 1953, where he died in 1963. His personality was characterized by being solitary, sensitive, and vulnerable, feeling like a marginal creature, and by his mismatch with the world, his rebellion, and his concealed homosexuality.
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