Roman Poets Virgil and Ovid: Biography and Literary Achievements
Virgil: Life and Legacy
Publius Vergilius Maro was born near Mantua. At the age of 25, he moved to Rome where he perfected his studies in rhetoric. He gained the friendship of a patron (likely Maecenas/Augustus) and was admitted to a circle dedicated to poetry. He was devoted to the study of philosophy and the cultivation of poetry. He always kept a reserved profile and was never too comfortable in urban environments. He died after traveling to Greece to view the landscapes that appear in the Aeneid
Read MoreSpanish Post-War Literature: Novel and Theater in the 1940s
The Cultural Impact of the Spanish Civil War
The dramatic consequences of the Civil War were felt not only in the social, political, economic, and human spheres, but also, and very intensely, in the field of culture. With the end of the war, the best writers went into exile, mainly to Latin America, but they kept in touch with the writers who remained in Spain, and their books circulated widely, despite censorship.
Spanish Novel of the 1940s: Social Realism and Exile
The social theme is present throughout
Read MoreKey Figures and Concepts in Classical and Modern Culture
Classical Mythology and History
Key Figures of Antiquity
- Spartacus: An escaped slave leader during the Third Servile War, he led a major uprising against the Roman Republic.
- Julius Caesar: A renowned general, politician, and scholar in Ancient Rome. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire, eventually becoming dictator.
- Cleopatra: Ruler of Ancient Egypt for three decades, she was the last in a dynasty of Macedonian rulers founded
The Evolution of Latin American Poetry: 19th and 20th Centuries
Modernism: Origins, Characteristics, and Evolution
Modernism emerged in America and Europe at the end of the nineteenth century, standing in opposition to Realism (the previous movement) and expressing a rebellious attitude against bourgeois values. The artist, heir to the Romantic spirit, rebelled against society and institutions.
Key Precursors of Modernism
- José Martí (Cuba)
- Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera (Mexico)
- Above all, Rubén Darío (Nicaragua), known for works such as Azul and Prosas profanas (
The Generation of ’27: Key Authors, Aesthetics, and Stages
The Generation of ’27: Spanish Literary Movement
Under this name are grouped a number of writers who combined the Spanish literary tradition (songbooks and poets of the Golden Age) with new avant-garde trends. The reference date was 1927, marking the three hundredth anniversary of the death of Góngora, a time used to re-evaluate the Baroque poet.
The most important authors in this group were: Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Gerardo Diego, Vicente Aleixandre, Federico García Lorca, Dámaso Alonso,
Read MoreConceptismo vs. Culteranismo in Spanish Baroque Literature
Conceptismo and Culteranismo in Baroque Literature
Within the Spanish Baroque period, two main literary tendencies emerged: Conceptismo and Culteranismo.
Culteranismo
Its foremost representative is Luis de Góngora, who sought to create an enlightened and exclusive poetic language. This style emphasizes formal beauty, colorful brilliance, and sensory details. It is achieved through the careful elaboration of language and a profusion of various resources, such as:
- Bold metaphors
- Hyperbaton (altered word