Spanish Romanticism: Literature in the 19th Century
In the first half of the nineteenth century, Romanticism in art moved triumphantly across Europe. In Spain, it began with Martínez de la Rosa’s “Conspiracy of Venice” in 1834. Romanticism was the product of a deep crisis manifested in ideological and aesthetic trends. The Romantics protested against the values imposed by the bourgeois world and rebelled against a corporation that crushed their ideals of liberty. The exaltation of the self and the ideal of freedom are at the root of some of the
Read MoreAntonio Machado’s Poetic Language: Sincerity and Essentiality
Antonio Machado’s Poetic Language
Antonio Machado’s lyricism is characterized by an *ascension* (the path of human perfection) and fidelity (honesty), giving it a tone of profound *sincerity*. Throughout his compositions, three aspects define the poet’s conception: firstly, a man of thought; ultimately, the poet sings the song of the soul. Poetry is the expression of the essential word of love and things. However, the poet remained a solitary figure, tormented by doubt, uncertainty, and anguish.
Read MoreClever Mouse and Gruffalo: A Chinese Folk Tale Retold
The Clever Mouse and the Gruffalo
To dissuade further advances, he tells each animal that he has plans to dine with his friend, a gruffalo, a monster-like hybrid that’s half grizzly bear and half buffalo, whose favorite food happens to be the relevant animal, and describes the features of the gruffalo’s monstrous anatomy. Frightened that the gruffalo might eat it, each animal flees. Knowing the gruffalo to be fictional, the mouse gloats thus:
“Silly old fox/owl/snake, doesn’t he know?
There’s no such
Read MoreCastilian Prose: Origins and Early Authors
Origins of Prose in Castilian
Although Castilian was the language of daily life and oral communication, written works were typically in Latin, the language of scholars. This began to change in the thirteenth century, after the founding of the first universities, with an increased number of people who could read and write. The first manifestations of literary prose in Castilian appeared in this century.
Alfonso X the Wise (13th Century)
Alfonso X the Wise (1221-1284) was the first prose writer in the
Read MoreThe Rake’s Evolution in 18th Century Literature
The Rake in Restoration and 18th Century Literature
The aim of this essay is to analyze and identify the role of the character of the rake and its evolution through eighteenth-century literature. The rake is a seductive, witty, and arrogant character that represents a flattering type of male prowess and drive, much admired in court circles. Through the rake, the plays explore the possibility of sexual freedom, which was simply not possible in London society at large but was more than tolerated at
Read MoreAnalysis of Sylvia Plath’s ‘Metaphors’: Pregnancy and Poetic Form
Metaphors in Sylvia Plath’s Poem
Literal Comprehension
The pregnant speaker feels like an unsolved question because she does not know the sex of the unborn baby. Her body is big and rounded, like an elephant, a big house, or a melon. The growing baby inside is valuable, like ivory, and well-built. It is like a newly minted coin inside her. She feels helpless, like a pregnant cow, because she is only a means. She has eaten green apples to satisfy her desire to eat something sour. The baby is inside,
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