The Royal Chancellery and Catalan Language
The Royal Chancellery
The Catalan-Aragonese crown created a royal clerk by the 13th century. It was modified by Peter IV of Aragon in 1344 to include foreign professionals in theology, law, art, and writing. This established relationships with other European courts and became a focal point for the diffusion of culture.
Peter IV created the position of Protonotary, responsible for the king’s seals, and other administrative officials in charge of writing texts, such as peace treaties, secret reports,
Read MoreMedieval Lyric Poetry: Troubadours and the Art of Love
Medieval Lyric Poetry
Origins and Influences
The origins of medieval lyric poetry can be traced to the Roman world, influenced by Latin poets like Ovid and Virgil, and the integration of music, song, and dance in social events. The content reflects various aspects of medieval society, including the deeply Christianized religious society and the feudal system.
Troubadours and Courtly Love
Troubadours composed songs in the vernacular, specifically for courtly audiences. These differed from the Latin
Read MoreMedieval & 18th-19th Century Spanish Literature
Item 8: The Medieval Period
Economic System: Feudalism
Company: Rigidly hierarchical, divided into three strata:
- Nobility (further subdivided into various orders)
- Clergy
- High Clergy
- Lower Clergy
- Townspeople
Economy
Agricultural and commercial base.
Gradual economic growth led to social change, apparent by the period’s end.
Monasteries served as important cultural centers, contributing significantly to medieval literature.
Development of a popular culture based on oral transmission.
In the 12th century, courtly
Read MorePrelude to the Afternoon of a Faun: Analysis & Guide
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun by Claude Debussy
Rhythm
Debussy employs a rhythmic approach that avoids a rigid alternation of strong and weak accents. Instead of eliminating the bar, he weakens it through continuous changes in time signature: 9/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, 9/8. In the first part, the eighth note consistently serves as the ternary subdivision. However, the middle section (not included in the provided score) features 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. The melodic rhythm is subtle due to the varied
Read More19th Century Spanish Literature: Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism
19th Century Spanish Literature
Costumbrismo
Ramon de Mesonero Romanos
Madrid, his hometown. Work: Scenes of Marriage.
Mariano José de Larra
Father of journalism. Works: Diligence, You Old Castilian, and Again Tomorrow.
Serafín Estébanez Calderón
Work: Scenes of Andalusia.
Romantic Novel
Influences of European novelists on our novelists: Chateaubriand, Fielding, Daniel Defoe, and Sir Walter Scott. Lord Byron, Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Alexandre Dumas, Larra, and Gil y Carrasco.
Women writers: Gertrudis
Read MoreSpanish Literature: From Golden Age to Romanticism
Lope de Vega and the New Comedy
In the seventeenth century, Lope de Vega revolutionized theater with a new formula, later followed by dramatists who recognized him as a master. This formula is known as the New Comedy. Lope de Vega’s theater wasn’t solely based on classical models. For example, his play “Punishment without Revenge” is a free adaptation of Euripides’ Medea.
Several differences distinguish the New Comedy from Classical Comedy:
- Number of Events/Acts: Lope’s plays unfold over three days,