Understanding Literary Terms: A Quick Reference
Literary Devices: Definitions and Examples
Allegory: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Antagonist: A character, group of characters, institution, or concept that stands in or represents opposition against which the protagonist(s) must contend.
Characterization: The creation or construction of a fictional character.
Protagonist: The leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional
Read MoreSymbols in the Poetry of Miguel Hernández
Imagery and Symbolism in Miguel Hernández’s Poetry
The poems of Miguel Hernández in his formative years (1924-1931) present images taken directly from his environment in Orihuela. In the words of José Luis Ferris, these are “the lemon, the well, the fig tree, the string, or the backyard.” Such symbols are clearly visible in the poem “Insomnia” and, especially, in its more refined version, “I Remember…” The image of the shepherd poet would always accompany Hernández.
Early Poems and Erotic Desire
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Read MoreNaturalism in 19th-Century Spanish Literature
Naturalism and Realism in 19th-Century Spanish Literature
In the final decades of the nineteenth century, realism evolved into naturalism, a movement fueled by French author Émile Zola. Carried to an extreme, naturalism proposed to apply scientific principles to the literature of the period. For Zola, man is the result of genetic inheritance and social conditions. Spanish writers of the time—Emilia Pardo Bazán, Galdós, Clarín, and Vicente Blasco Ibáñez—rejected Zola’s genetic determinism
Read MoreCatalan Chronicles: Desclot, Muntaner, and Peter the Ceremonious
Chronicles of Catalonia: Desclot, Muntaner, and Peter the Ceremonious
Chronicle of Bernard Desclot. In the chronicle of Bernard Desclot, or Book of King Peter, drafted between 1283 and 1288, the author remains in the background. The real focus is Peter II the Great, a contemporary of the author, whose brief reign (1276 – 1285) is explained in detail, with precision, clarity, and historical accuracy. Desclot briefly recounts the reigns of three monarchs before portraying Peter II the Great, son and
Read MoreKey Figures & Themes in Spanish Romanticism
Key Figures and Themes in Spanish Romanticism
Rosalía de Castro was born in Santiago de Compostela. An important work is her book of poems entitled On the Banks of the Sar. In it, she explores Galician themes, exalts customs, explores existential pessimism, and expresses anguish and pain. She believes that love is a mirage and that the fate of every human being is loneliness.
Mariano José de Larra was born in Madrid and received an enlightened education, evolving into Romanticism. He believed that
Read More19th Century Spanish Poetry and Theater: Realism and Naturalism
Poetry in the Second Half of the 19th Century
In the second half of the nineteenth century, subjectivism diminishes (except in the poetry of Bécquer and Rosalía). New theories of poetry and poetics are published, such as those of Campoamor.
Two trends emerge:
- Ramón de Campoamor’s Prose: His work, Humoradas, features short, conceptual poetry with didactic purposes.
- Gaspar Núñez de Arce’s Rhetoricity: His poetry is declamatory and bombastic, inspired by civic and political issues. His work Gritos