Spanish Generation of ’98: Characteristics and Key Figures
Features of the Generation of ’98
It was in the late nineteenth century when Spain experienced a period of general crisis. The political system was not working, and the first violent social conflicts started. In the first years of the twentieth century, a group of intellectuals enacted a series of measures with the clear intention of solving the existing problems. They were called “Regenerationists,” with names like Joaquín Costa and Francisco Giner de los Ríos, promoter of the “Free Institution
Read MoreJosep Pla and Mercè Rodoreda: Catalan Literary Masters
Josep Pla (1897-1981): Writer and Journalist
Josep Pla’s writing reflects his vocation as a writer. He is a marvel, unlocked to the environment around him. Pla acknowledges that the discovery of the outside world becomes imposing to describe. That’s the job of learning: the writer must know how to move discoveries. He knows bitterness because he chose a trade, and for him, it is a demanding job. Josep Pla manifests a passion for tight details and the selection of the adjective. Here lies one of his
Read MoreGothic Elements in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights
Gothic Elements in Emily Brontë’s *Wuthering Heights*
**”Wuthering Heights”** is the only novel of English author Emily Brontë (1818-1848). It was first published in 1847 under the author’s pen name, Ellis Bell. Although contemporary critics considered the novel controversial because of its mental and physical cruelty, nowadays, “Wuthering Heights” is a classic of 19th-century literature.
Gothic Influence in *Wuthering Heights*
Whether or not *Wuthering Heights* should be classified as a Gothic novel,
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: Post-Civil War Generations & Trends
Coexistence of Generations in Spanish Poetry
After the Civil War, the Generation of 98 and 27 wrote from exile, paving the way for several generations of poets with different perspectives on their reality.
Poetic Trends
Defining main styles and currents is difficult due to overlapping influences and authors of various ages writing similar poetry. However, the following trends can be distinguished:
Formalism
Books from this current had a nationalistic approach and aimed to uplift spirits. (Dionysus Ridruego,
Read MoreReality and Poetry in Lorca’s Work: Themes and Characters
Reality and Poetry Many features and notes are taken from reality. In the first act, a surprising conversation occurs where Poncia engages in an extremely vulgar and prosaic scene while eating bread and sausage. Other elements of a realistic character in this first act include the beggar who comes to beg, the tolling of the bells for the death of Bernarda’s husband, the arrival of the notary to read the will, and the story of the father of Adelaide, among others. In the second act, realistic details
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: Renaissance to Baroque Transformation
Fundamental Changes in 16th-Century Spanish Poetry
San Juan de la Cruz and Garcilaso de la Vega initiated a transformation in Spanish poetry. The year 1526 is symbolically taken as the beginning of this change. Both poets attempted this shift, with Garcilaso achieving a higher quality of poetry. He had the merit of both the Italian influence and the initiative for a total renovation of the metric, which changed the sound of poetry.
Fundamental Changes in the Metric
Before Garcilaso, poets used two
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