Understanding Realism and Naturalism: Key Concepts and Figures
Realism in 19th Century Literature
Realism: This artistic trend, prominent in the mid-nineteenth century, particularly in pictorial and literary arts, is defined by its commitment to representing reality as it is, without embellishment. The influence of scientism and the emergence of photography were major factors in shaping realistic aesthetics.
Origin and Expansion
Realism emerged in France around 1830 with the publication of Stendhal’s The Red and the Black, considered the first realist novel. It
Read MoreGeneration of ’27: Spanish Literary Movement & Essay Characteristics
The Generation of ’27: A Literary Overview
The Generation of ’27 refers to a group of Spanish poets who, in the 1920s, became the most notable writers of their time. The name originates from a meeting held in Seville in 1927, where many of these writers gathered to honor Góngora on the 300th anniversary of his death.
Shared Characteristics
- Similar social backgrounds
- Deep commitment to literature
- Collaboration on literary magazines
- Many resided in Madrid at the Residencia de Estudiantes, a liberal cultural
Catalan Post-War Literature: Authors, Themes, and Context
Catalan Literature of the Post-War Period
Historical Context
The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, leading to the exile of many Catalan politicians and intellectuals, especially to France and America. During the Franco regime, clandestine political groups organized in Catalonia to defend Catalan culture.
Narrative Trends
From the first half of the 1950s, when novels were still illegal, there was a renewed focus on the importance of narrative that had been established in the pre-war years.
Streams of Catalan
Read MoreAnalyzing “The Yellow Wallpaper”: Feminism and Confinement
Analyzing “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is not simply about American women; it delves into the experience of a white American Protestant woman who questions patriarchy. The protagonist, an artist, is a woman frustrated in her creativity, imprisoned in a room, and forced to focus on the only space left for her to express that creativity: the wallpaper.
Individuals who are restricted in their freedom to create often channel their
Read MoreCharacter Analysis in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of 24 stories, written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400, reflecting the society of the time through social, cultural, and fashion features. The following paragraphs will describe four characters, using the edition “…” of the novel.
The Knight: Embodiment of Chivalry
The Knight is the first pilgrim described in the Prologue, which is no coincidence. During the late Middle Ages, society was structured with military figures at the
Read MoreProse Fiction: Types of Novels in Spanish Literature
Prose Fiction: The Novel
- Books of Chivalry: Amadis of Gaul
- The Moorish Novel
The works of this genre are heirs to the tradition of the frontier romances of the fifteenth century.
- Themes: They feed on the latest episodes of the conquest and choose Granada and its surroundings as a backdrop.
- Characters: Prototypes are always of nobility; courage and beauty are idealized. The figure of the Muslim is idealized, with examples of coexistence between Arab and Christian culture.
- Works: The most representative