Life’s a Dream: A Baroque Exploration of Free Will and Illusion
Baroque Theater
Theater was the most popular genre of the Baroque period. Audiences enjoyed the drama in courtyards between buildings, transformed into makeshift theaters. The stage, with side and rear doors, and sometimes galleries, represented scenes at different heights. There were no curtains, and the scenery was basic, relying on the actors’ words to create the setting. The front and sides of the stage served as the primary locations. Performances took place during the day due to the lack of
Read MoreRestoration and 18th Century English Literature: A Historical Overview
Restoration and 18th Century
Social and Historical Context
The plays of the Restoration period and the entire eighteenth century cannot be compared in importance and interest to the drama of the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages.
Every age seems to choose one literary form to specialize in. In the Age of Reason, which we are now concerned with, genius mainly chose the moral or satirical essay in prose or verse. The attitude of the age towards drama was, although this was not fully realized, fundamentally
Read MoreThe Renaissance and Reformation: A Historical Overview
1. The Renaissance
1.1. A New Way of Thinking: Humanism
The main features of Humanism are:
- The rejection of the medieval mindset focused on God and the exaltation of human beings, considered to be endowed with reason and freedom.
- Inspiration from Greco-Roman culture.
- Interest and curiosity for science and technical progress.
- The use of vernacular languages as a vehicle of cultural transmission instead of Latin and Greek.
1.2. The Expansion of Humanism
Since the mid-fifteenth century, the invention of the
Read MoreSpanish Literature of the 19th Century: Romanticism and Realism
Spanish Literature of the 19th Century
The Rise of the Bourgeoisie and the Industrial Revolution
The 19th century in Europe was a time of significant change, marked by the rise of the bourgeoisie, the Industrial Revolution, and the development of capitalism. This period saw a shift from a class-stratified society to a more dynamic and complex social structure.
Renaissance Trends and Milestones
Within the Renaissance period, two distinct trends emerged: the Romantic-liberal and the Traditionalist. These
Read MoreMartin Fierro: Analysis of the Gaucho Epic Poem
Martin Fierro: An Analysis
The Name
In a letter, the author explained to his daughter Elizabeth the origin of the character’s name. Martin was chosen in tribute to two figures: his uncle, Juan Martín de Avellaneda, and Martín Güemes. The surname Fierro symbolizes the hardening of iron, representing the resilience of the gaucho of the pampa.
The Play
While not solely an expression of Argentine folklore, Martin Fierro stands as a magnificent and unsurpassed example of folk literature, particularly
Read MoreRomantic Themes and Characterization in a 19th-Century Spanish Play
1. Romantic Themes in the Work
The main themes of the play are intertwined: love, revenge, and honor. Fate is a central theme, highlighted by the very title of the work. It’s evident that this fate is not benign; it’s persistent and powerful, intensified by the unique aspects of the play’s timeline. The extended timeframe and the drawn-out action emphasize the persistence of fate. Critics have interpreted this fate in various ways, attributing it to human error and social circumstances.
It seems that
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