The Generation of ’98: A Literary and Philosophical Movement
The Generation of ’98 takes its name from the year of the loss of Spain’s last overseas colonies. It is a purely Spanish movement formed by a group of young writers who sought to renovate the aesthetics of earlier literature (Realism) and regenerate the country’s socio-cultural landscape. The colonial disaster brought awareness of poverty, misery, social injustice, economic and political apathy, etc. With it came the need for a change in the structure of power since the Restoration (the current
Read MoreThematic Elements in Spanish Literature: Bécquer, Count Lucanor, and Galdós
Thematic Elements in Bécquer’s Legends
- In Bécquer’s legends, several themes of Romanticism are present: tragic or impossible love, truncated by society or circumstances, the search for an unattainable ideal, diabolical wickedness, and rebellion.
- Other themes reflect the nature and sensitivity of the author and his perception of reality: music as a sublime art form, intuition, and religious faith.
- Love and Women
- Sentimentality
- Fantasy versus Reality
- History and Geography
- Good and Evil
- Afterlife
- Nature
- Art
- Objects
Thematic
Read MoreRomanticism in Spain: 1835-1850 and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
Romanticism in Spain: 1835-1850
Romanticism is a movement that extends to all cultural facets of life. There is an identification between literature and the moment of political difficulties as seen in Spain. The Romantics rebel against the established order, especially the bourgeoisie. Materialism, which in that era had much power.
Two Attitudes
- Traditional: Writers who are a vindication of the past values, the medieval style, Christianity, and the monarchy.
- Liberal: Supporters of the democratic idea.
Literary Movements: Modernism and Postmodernism in America
Emily Dickinson
In “I Had Been Hungry All These Years,” Dickinson expresses a desire to meet the world, but upon experiencing it, she found it disagreeable and retreated into isolation, feeling ill and out of place. “I Started Early—Took my Dog” describes a visit to the sea in the company of her dog.
Influences: The Bible.
Themes: Isolation, depression, love, life, faith, time.
American Modernism (1915-1945)
American Modernism presented a negative and realistic view of the world, often questioning
Read MoreCatalan Literature in the 20th Century: Modernism and Key Works
Catalan Literature in the 20th Century: Modernism (1888-1911)
Catalan Modernism, spanning from 1888 to 1911, was characterized by a desire for musicality, the presence of nature, allusions to the senses, and a pursuit of formal beauty to escape a hostile reality. In Catalonia, Modernism took on a unique dimension, becoming reformist and revolutionary. It aimed to modernize and elevate Catalan society, contrasting it with a more conservative and outdated Europe.
Catalan Society and the Rise of Modernism
The
Read MoreUnderstanding Speech: Production, Social Impact, and Language
Speaking involves combining sounds systematically, according to the rules of language, with the aim of creating meaning.
What Elements Are Involved in Speech?
Speech involves other elements apart from sounds. The same sequence of sounds can be pronounced in very different ways, expressing different meanings.
- Body language: Refers to gestures, facial expressions, and postures. It is conveyed through the whole body and perceived through vision.
- Paralanguage: Refers to non-lexical components of speech,