Mid-20th Century Literary Styles and Art Movements
Novelistic Trends in the 1940s
In the 1940s, novelists sought new forms of expression, leading to the emergence of diverse literary trends:
The Triumphant Novel
The Triumphant Novel defended the new political circumstances in the country. It upheld traditional values (God, Country, Family) and justified the Civil War and its consequences, often blaming the losing side. An example is Agustín de Foxá’s Madrid, de Corte a Checa.
The Psychological Novel
The Psychological Novel focused on the analysis of
Spanish Post-War Novel: Literary Trends of the 1940s and 1950s
Spanish Post-War Novel: The 1940s
After the Spanish Civil War, many writers went into exile, while others died or remained in Spain. This period resulted in the impoverishment of the Spanish literary world. Authors who had to leave Spain at the end of the Civil War continued to write in other countries. They moved away from intellectualized narratives, returning to human and ethical issues. In their works, they spoke of the experience of war and the longing for the lost homeland.
Some notable novelists
Read MoreUnderstanding Whitman’s ‘Song of Myself’ and Williams’ ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’
Song of Myself
Whitman’s grand poem is, in its way, an American epic. Beginning in medias res—in the middle of the poet’s life—it loosely follows a quest pattern. “Missing me one place, search another,” he tells his reader, “I stop somewhere waiting for you.” In its catalogues of American life and its constant search for the boundaries of the self, “Song of Myself” has much in common with classical epic.
While “Song of Myself” is crammed with significant detail, there are three key episodes that
Spanish Experimental Novel: 1960s-1970s Literary Innovations
The Experimental Novel of the 1960s and 1970s
The experimental novel, prominent in the 1960s and 1970s, emphasized how things are said rather than simply what is said. Self-referential writing is one of its main themes. This novel reacted against the social realism of the 1950s and broke with the earlier linear narrative. In linear narrative, events follow a normal chronological order (past, present, and future).
In contrast, the experimental novel frequently features structural breaks, moving forwards
Read MoreAmerican Literary Periods: Key Authors and Characteristics
The Colonial Period
- Characteristics: Consisted of journals, travel logs, letters, and elegies about human experience. Prominent themes included witchcraft and religion. Puritan writing was often of low quality and discussed mundane events.
- Authors:
- Cotton Mather: Magnalia Christi Americana
- William Bradford
- Anne Bradstreet
Consolidation of American Literature
- Characteristics: Marked the consolidation of the USA as an independent country. The novel became popular. Writing from this period reflected attempts
Geographic Origins of Everyday Words and Concepts
Discover the fascinating places that gave their names to common objects, foods, concepts, and more.
Nankeen
- A sturdy yellow or buff cotton cloth.
- A Chinese porcelain with a blue-and-white pattern.
Origin: Nanjing (Nankeen), China
Nantua Sauce
A cream sauce flavored with shellfish.
Origin: Nantua, France
Nashville
The country music industry.
Origin: Nashville, the capital of Tennessee
Neanderthal
Crude or boorish.
Origin: Neanderthal, Germany
New England Clam Chowder
A thick soup made with clams, onions, salt pork,
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