Antonio Machado’s Poetic Language and Style
Antonio Machado’s Poetic Language
The Lexicon
Machado’s poetry often evokes feelings of old age, melancholy, and the inevitable decay of all things. This sense of decline is captured in words like “Seire,” reflecting the deterioration of both objects and humans.
- Anxiety and boredom, especially the ennui of youth, are recurring themes.
- Somber and dull tones, with colors representing the anxiety and monotony of life, are prevalent.
- Machado’s poetic universe isn’t solely defined by despair; it also includes
Catalan Literature: Origins, Key Figures, and Historical Context
The Origins of Catalan Literature
Catalan language development: substrate, entered, superestrat. Born in VI-VIII. By the XII century, meals were written in Catalan: Homilies d’Organyà and Forum ludicum. Catalan emerged from a necessity.
The first important literary writing in Catalan: Ramon Llull and Ausias March, influenced by Occitan and Provence. Trovadoresca Literature: the first cultured manifestation in a Romance language, emerged from the nobility in a feudal context.
Troubadours: Noble Origins
Read MoreEl Cantar de Mio Cid and Mester de Clerecía
El Cantar de Mio Cid
Date and Authorship
The Cantar de Mio Cid (The Song of My Cid) is the most important epic poem in Spanish literature and the only one that has survived almost entirely, with nearly four thousand lines.
The song was written in the 12th century by two anonymous minstrels from the land of Soria.
Content and Structure
The song tells of the exploits of the Castilian hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid. It is a historical work, but also literary and artistic. Events are inspired
Read MoreIndian and Western Novels: A Comparative History
Early Indian and Western Literary Works
Early Examples:
- Banabhatta – Kadambari (Sanskrit)
- Panchatantra (Sanskrit)
- Dastan – Tales of adventure in Urdu and Persian
Early Marathi Novels:
- Baba Padmanji – Yamuna Paryatan (Marathi; about widows)
- Lakshman Moreshwar Halbe – Muktamala (imaginary romance)
Early Malayalam Novels:
- Chandu Menon – Subjudge from Malabar; tried to translate Henrietta Temple by Benjamin Disraeli into Malayalam; wrote Indulekha in Malayalam (first modern novel in Malayalam)
Early Telugu Novels:
Read MoreNotable Literary Figures: Addison, Astell, Behn & More
Joseph Addison (1672-1719)
Joseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He is usually remembered alongside his long-standing friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine. He studied at Oxford. His famous work is Cato, based on the last days of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis.
Mary Astell (1666-1731)
Mary Astell was an English feminist writer and rhetorician. Born in England, she studied in Cambridge and died in London. Her two most well-known books,
Read MoreGarcilaso de la Vega and Fray Luis de León: Spanish Renaissance Poetry
Garcilaso de la Vega: Life and Work
Garcilaso de la Vega (c. 1501-1536) was one of the greatest Spanish poets, known for his formal perfection and significant influence on subsequent centuries of Spanish verse. His works remained unpublished during his lifetime and were first published in 1543. This cultivated poet from Toledo composed in both of the major poetic styles of his time:
- Traditional Castilian Poetry (primarily eight-syllable couplets)
- Italianate Poetry, to which he owes his fame and importance.