Renaissance and Baroque Spanish Literature: A Poetic Journey
Renaissance Poetry
Garcilaso de la Vega
A prominent figure known for his high-quality pastoral poems, sonnets, elegies, songs, and odes. Stationed in Naples, he was influenced by Italian poets. His love for Isabel Freire, who never reciprocated his feelings, inspired much of his work. He embodies the Renaissance ideal: soldier, courtier, and poet.
Themes and Style
Garcilaso’s poetry primarily explores the theme of love, often expressing unrequited love and disappointment. His style emphasizes perfection
Read More20th-Century Spanish Theater: A Renaissance
In the early decades of the 20th century, several attempts were made to renew the theater scene, which at the end of the previous century was dominated by realistic drama and the work of José Echegaray.
Commercial Theater
In commercial theater, Jacinto Benavente’s work stands out, characterized by restraint in the composition of situations and characters, and the meticulous realism of the staging of his dramas. Musical theater, including comic theater, song, and dance, was prominent with the Álvarez
Read MoreRomanticism: A Deep Dive into the Literary Movement
Romanticism
Cultural Movement
Romanticism was a cultural movement of a liberal and revolutionary character that emphasized the role of human beings and their emotions over reason.
Features
- Subject: Reflects the artist’s inner world.
- Desire for Freedom: The romantic rebelled against social norms and mores of the time.
- Anguish: The world is unfair to the romantic, far removed from their ideals. This confrontation causes them constant dissatisfaction.
- Nationalism: The Romantic appreciates their own culture
Introduction to Literature: Prose, Verse, and Drama
Prose vs. Verse
Prose is employed to convey concepts, ideas, and narratives directly to readers. It is found in both fictional and non-fictional works of literature, including books and journals.
The structure of prose is composed of sentences, phrases, and paragraphs. This makes it the most suitable writing style for articulating and communicating ideas, concepts, and events in a clear and concise manner.
Types of Prose
- Non-fictional prose: Presents real events and is commonly found in newspapers,
Analysis of Spanish Medieval Literature
Romance of the Infant Amalda
The text begins with an exclamation point, where the author (an omniscient narrator who values facts and foreshadows them) expresses his feelings about what will happen next. The events occur “on the morning of St. John,” introducing a magical aspect to the romance. Linguistically, there’s confusion between “have” and “tener,” common in the Middle Ages. Once the public’s curiosity is piqued, the author proceeds to narrate the events quickly.
Lines 9-12 offer a rich description
Read MoreBaroque Literature: Lyric, Novel, and Theater
Lyric of the Baroque
Themes and Concepts
The Baroque lyric continues themes of love, morality, and satire from previous eras, but it also incorporates elements from popular and folk traditions. For example, the sonnet is used for satirical purposes. While Renaissance themes persist, a sense of disillusionment and melancholy pervades many works, reflecting a view of the world as an illusion. Common themes include:
- Beatus ille, Golden Mean, and contempt of court: Inherited from the Renaissance, these