Catalan Poetry: Analysis of 8 Essential Works
Ode to Guynemer
Maria-Josep Jospin (1920)
Ode to Guynemer tells the story of a young aviator, Frank, whose plane was shot down in action during the First World War. With the use of different stanzas, the author explains Guynemer’s heroism. Making use of metaphors, the author states that although he was mortally wounded, he still accompanies Guynemer to the glory of eternity, the world of celestial bodies. The author also gives us another glimpse into the importance of acting with valor.
I Miss All
Read MoreMiguel de Cervantes: Life, Works, and Don Quixote Analysis
The Era of Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes’ life spanned the transition between the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. Born in 1547 and died in 1616, his work reflects this era of change and crisis, often drawing from his personal experiences.
Life
Cervantes had a turbulent life marked by travel and economic hardship. He was exiled to Italy, served as a soldier in the Battle of Lepanto and naval expeditions, was held captive in Algiers for five years, worked as a tax collector in Andalusia, and was
Read MoreTirant lo Blanc: A 15th-Century Chivalric Novel Analysis
Tirant lo Blanc: A Summary
The narrative of Tirant lo Blanc unfolds across several key sections:
- I-XCVII: Courtly conflicts involving knights.
- XCVIII-CXIV: A skilled admiral is drawn to the knight.
- CXV-CCXCVII: The knight becomes a bold leader, victorious against the Turks, and falls in love with Carmesina.
- CCXCVIII-CDVI: The hero leads North African troops and facilitates the conversion of Muslims.
- CDVIII-CDLXXXVII: The knight restores the Byzantine Empire, marries Carmesina, and becomes emperor until
Spanish Realism and Naturalism: Authors and Key Works
Realism in 19th-Century Spanish Literature
Realism is an objective representation of reality. Its birth is closely linked to the rise of the bourgeoisie and the new urban society that formed as a result of industrial development. The novel enjoyed some popularity and became the genre in which realism reached its highest achievements.
The Transformation of Literature: Literature did not remain immune to these changes. In the realm of ideas, writers focused on society, objectively observing and describing
Read MoreLiterature as Propaganda: Royal Influence and Social Control
Literature as Propaganda
The aim of this essay is to analyze the role of literature as a disseminator of information and publicity. Authors used literature as propaganda through strategies such as inserting opinions or extolling certain figures, such as the monarchy, in their works. Therefore, by disseminating these ideas they could influence and emphasize certain attitudes and behaviors. However, this process of influence was gradual, as it was necessary for the message to be ingrained in the receiver
Read MoreHenry James’s Daisy Miller: A Study of Societal Clash
Context
In the autumn of 1877, Henry James (1843–1916) heard a piece of gossip from a friend in Rome about a young American girl traveling with her wealthy but unsophisticated mother in Europe. The girl had met a handsome Italian of “vague identity” and no particular social standing and attempted to introduce him into the exclusive society of expatriate Americans in Rome. The incident had ended in a snub of some sort, a “small social check . . . of no great gravity,” the exact nature of
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