Francisco Goya: Life and Artistic Evolution
Introduction
Born in Fuentedetodos, Francisco Goya’s artistic journey began in the workshop of the painter José Luzán. He married the sister of the painter Francisco Bayeu and became his young disciple. He traveled to Italy and soon moved to Madrid as a painter for the Royal Tapestry Factory. He became a royal painter and a member of the Academy of San Fernando. After the War of Independence, his work reflected the turmoil of the time, oscillating between anti-French patriotism and his pro-French
Read MoreOscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw: British Drama Revival
Oscar Wilde & George Bernard Shaw: British Drama Revival
Introduction to Wilde and Shaw in British Drama
British drama of the early 19th century was marked by mediocrity and decay. Victorian strict morality and the predominance of the novel as the literary genre par excellence, together with the lack of royal patronage to theatre (unlike in other periods of English literature), were factors that didn’t favour the development of the dramatic genre at the time. The late 19th century, however, witnessed
Read MoreHans Christian Andersen’s Life Reflected in His Short Stories
By reading and relating to the experiences of Andersen’s past, we, the readers, can positively declare that through the use of children’s characters, the author depicts his past experiences, including sorrow, pain, and derision in his short stories. Perhaps the predominant portion of his stories is based on his imagination; however, the author definitely engraved some of his life images into the characteristics of the children in his works. By looking at “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Story of a Mother,
Read MoreNaturalism and Romanticism in 19th-Century Spanish Literature
Naturalism in Late 19th-Century Spanish Literature
In the late 19th century, Realism gave rise to a new literary current: Naturalism. Its creator was Émile Zola, with works such as “The Experimental Novel” and “Evenings in Médan.”
Key Ideas:
- The naturalist writer is an observer and experimenter.
- Themes are related to social issues like alcoholism, corruption, mental illness, heredity, and marginalization.
- There’s an interest in sad, miserable environments and characters who are psychopathic, alcoholic,
The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Deep Dive
The Hound of the Baskervilles: Key Elements
Basic Information
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a detective novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the British writer and physician who created the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. This crime fiction story is set in 1889. This date is inferred when Holmes notes that Dr. Mortimer’s cane, engraved with the year 1884, is from five years prior. The novel begins and ends in London, at Holmes’s office at 221b Baker Street. However, the majority of the
Read MoreEnglish Renaissance: History, Culture, and Literary Contexts
The English Renaissance: An Introduction
The English Renaissance is closely related to the Elizabethan Age. The Renaissance was a revival of classical culture that became fashionable at this time. People revisited previous ideas and models to improve their writing. Compared to other European countries like Spain and Italy, the Renaissance arrived late in England, partly due to its insularity.
It began with the Tudor dynasty in 1496 (Henry VII) and ended in 1642 with the closing of the theaters in
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