Saint Vincent Ferrer: Life, Sermons, and 15th-Century Influence
Saint Vincent Ferrer: Life, Sermons, and Influence
Saint Vincent Ferrer (born in Valencia in 1350, not 1750) achieved universal fame throughout his life. His sermons were renowned for their ability to turn people away from vice and to teach Christian morality. He was a great traveler and visited countries like Spain, France, Switzerland, and Italy. He was a master of theology and a counselor to kings.
Saint Vincent Ferrer is a very important figure for two reasons: his significant literary work and
Read MoreFernando de Rojas’ La Celestina: Summary & Characters
Fernando De Rojas and *La Celestina*
After much controversy, criticism seems to have agreed that, as indicated by the acronyms and a letter to a friend, the author of the entire work, except for Act I, is Fernando de Rojas. Fernando de Rojas was born in Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo) around 1470 and studied law at Salamanca. He then moved to Talavera de la Reina (where he appears to have been mayor), married, had six children, and died in 1541. Among the possessions he left upon his death, his library
Read MoreSpanish Literature: 18th and 19th Century Authors and Movements
Spanish Literature: 18th and 19th Centuries
Key Authors and Their Works
This overview covers prominent authors and literary movements in Spain during the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Moratín: (Theater) El sí de las niñas, La comedia nueva o El café.
- Cadalso: (Prose) Cartas marruecas, Noches lúgubres.
- Espronceda: (Poetry) Canción del pirata, El estudiante de Salamanca, El diablo mundo.
- Duque de Rivas: (Drama) Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino.
- Zorrilla: (Theater) Don Juan Tenorio.
- Larra: (Prose) Artículos
Medieval Literature: Clergy, Lyrics, Prose, and Syntax
Mester of Clergy
The Mester of Clergy was a school of writers who succeeded the Mester of Minstrelsy. The word “clergyman” was appointed to every man of letters. The works of the clergy were intended to persuade and educate the public on the doctrines of the church, imparting knowledge and Christian values. The school emerged in the twelfth century, and its main features are:
- Subjects: Writing on religious matters and romance, usually texts inspired by Latin authors.
- Starring: Historical personages
Henry: Literary Contributions and Valencian Heritage
The literary value of Henry lies in two major contributions: his five novels and his short stories. He employs an omniscient and subjective narrator, achieving greater precision, thoroughness, and accuracy in detail. His great proficiency is evident in his use of oral folk tradition and a well-balanced literary language.
The tales are drawn from a core source of oral narrative, profoundly transforming and reformulating the stories, often focusing on cults. The short stories are notable for their
Read More19th and Early 20th Century Spanish Literary Movements
Romanticism: 19th Century Cultural Movement
Romanticism, a cultural movement characteristic of the first half of the 19th century, is the result of the profound crisis of a rapidly changing world.
Features of Romanticism
- Irrationalism
- Subjectivism
- Idealism
- Individualism
- Creative genius
- Betrayal
- Escape
- Solitude
- Dynamic nature
- New sensitivity
Realism: 19th Century Literary Movement
Realism is the cultural movement characteristic of 19th-century bourgeois society, which no longer favored fantasy and romantic idealism.
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