Aribau’s ‘Oda a la Pàtria’ and the Catalan Literary Renaixença
Aribau’s Landmark Poem: ‘Oda a la Pàtria’
Bonaventura Carles Aribau wrote his poem “Oda a la Pàtria” (Ode to the Homeland) while working in Madrid for the Catalan banker Gaspar de Remisa. He aimed to express their shared homesickness for Catalonia, viewed as distant from Madrid, almost like an “exile.” This poem is considered Aribau’s most significant work, as the rest of his literary output is seen as minor and circumstantial.
Publication and Importance
The poem was published in the journal El Vapor
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Unamuno, Machado, Baroja, Azorín, Valle-Inclán
Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno, a great essayist, highlights two main concerns in his work: Spain and the conflict between reason and faith. He analyzes the essence of the Spanish soul and its spiritual trajectory, which leads towards existentialism. In narrative technique, he innovated with what he called ‘nivolas.’ His most important work is San Manuel Bueno, Mártir.
Antonio Machado
Antonio Machado was born in Seville. He taught in high school in Soria, Spain. He married Leonor, who died three
Read MoreKey Concepts in Early American Literature
Early Encounters and Colonial Beginnings
- Who were the first Europeans in North American shores? Scandinavians – 11th century.
- The land bridge that connected Northeastern Asia to Northwestern NA in the ice age was: present-day Bering Strait.
- How many culture areas of NA Indians did Europeans encounter? 8
- NA was home to: more than 50 language families.
- How many types of literary production can be found until 1620? 3
- Two of them are: shipwreck literature and writings of witnesses.
- Who was unfairly imprisoned
Understanding Romanticism and Realism in Literature
Romanticism and Realism
Romanticism is a cultural and political movement that originated in Germany and the United Kingdom in the late eighteenth century as a revolutionary reaction against the rationalism of the Enlightenment and Classicism, emphasizing feeling and emotion. A key feature is the break with classical tradition and its stereotypical rules. Freedom is a constant theme, making its revolutionary nature unquestionable.
Because Romanticism is a way of feeling and interpreting nature, life,
Read MoreSocial Realism and the Experimental Novel in 1960s Spain
Social Realism in Essays
Essays soon made it obvious that they advocated the value of social realism. It was believed that the writer, serving a will to transform society, must commit to addressing social injustice. Hence, they assumed a duty of complaint that could not find other adequate means of expression. Regarding the aesthetic orientation within the dominant realism, several attitudes can be noted, with the dominance of objectivism and critical realism.
Objectivism proposes a brief testimony,
Read MoreForrest Gump and Ex Machina: Film Analysis
Forrest Gump: A Cinematic Reflection
Introduction: Forrest Gump is a comedy-drama film released in 1994, based on the novel Forrest Gump by Winston Groom and directed by Robert Zemeckis. Tom Hanks plays Forrest Gump, and Sally Field plays Jenny Curran.
Plot: Set in the United States during the 20th century, the film tells the story of Forrest, often bullied due to his perceived low intelligence. His life changes when he meets Jenny Curran.
Technical Aspects:
- Forrest Gump won six Academy Awards.
- Sound