The Alliterative Revival: Medieval English Poetic Form
The Alliterative Revival: Poetic Movement & Legacy
1. Defining the Alliterative Revival
A poetic movement of the late 14th and 15th centuries, the Alliterative Revival includes a large number of poems written in alliterative form, often unrhymed, but sometimes using rhyme as well as alliteration. At the center of the movement is a group of poems of high literary quality.
These works encompass diverse themes:
- Historical Material:
- The Wars of Alexander (life of Alexander the Great)
- The Siege of Jerusalem
Literary Terms and Movements: A Concise Overview
Johnsonese: Samuel Johnson’s Elaborate Style
Johnsonese is a term used to describe the highly elaborate and Latinized style of writing associated with Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), the famous English writer, lexicographer, and critic. This distinctive style is characterized by long, complex sentences, an extensive use of polysyllabic words derived from Latin, and a formal, almost grandiloquent tone. Johnson’s writing had a profound influence on English prose, and his preference for scholarly vocabulary
Read MoreHumanistic and Literary Texts: Core Features & Communication
Humanistic Texts: Definition and Characteristics
Humanistic texts belong to the humanities, a broad group of subjects that deal with everything concerning human knowledge and development, both at the individual and social levels, in the present and throughout the historical and cultural past.
The Essay Format in Humanities
Among humanistic texts, a common format is the essay, in which the author develops their ideas. An essay is defined as the study of various topics treated subjectively, with argumentative
Read MoreLiterary Elements, Grammar, and Humanist Thought
Narrative Structure and Linguistic Elements
Narrative Structure Basics
The story generally adheres to the basic narrative structure: introduction, development, and resolution. Its ideas are condensed and aimed at expressive synthesis.
Perspectives
- Protagonist: First person singular, telling their own stories.
- Witness: First person singular, telling stories as an observer.
- Omniscient: Third person, explaining relevant actions from an external perspective.
- Observer: Third person, simply recounting actions
William Faulkner’s Characters and Narrative Style
William Faulkner had different approaches in his fiction. He was interested in moral judgment, in the values of the Southern people, as well as in human psychology. Through every individual character, he reflects all this.
His characters represented the complexity of human life. He explored his characters. For instance, Sartoris, Burden, Snopes, McCaslin.
Numerous characters populate his work. There are minor characters, but each one attracts the reader’s attention because all the characters are fundamentally
Read MoreSpanish Literary Genres and Narrative Techniques
Spanish Literary Genres
Sentimental Novel
Draws on topics of courtly love in the analysis of the psychological states of being in love. Example: Jail of Love by Diego de San Pedro.
Chivalric Novel
Reached its maximum spread in the 16th century. These works represented the idealized image of human existence and successfully popularized fantastic adventures of knights errant. Example: Amadis of Gaul by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo.
Picaresque Novel
A genre that observes human nature and the moral life of
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