Spanish Theater Evolution: Post-Civil War to 1980s Drama
Challenges and Constraints of Post-Civil War Theater
The theater after the Spanish Civil War faced numerous difficulties and constraints. These included economic challenges, marked by a lack of interest from producers, and ideological and political pressures from a regime that imposed heavy censorship.
Two Major Trends Emerge (1940s)
Two major trends emerged in this period. The first was the ‘theatrical business,’ following the line of Benavente. This approach was favored by producers as it focused
Read MoreSpanish Baroque Literature: Góngora, Quevedo, and 17th Century Poetic Movements
The 17th Century: Spanish Baroque
A cultural and artistic movement developed throughout the seventeenth century, marked by economic, social, and political crises.
Baroque Thought and Culture
A period of pessimism and disillusionment. Humanist ideals gave way to deeper religious introspection. The sense of crisis was reflected in a culture of violent contrasts. Artistic expressions, exhausting their resources, led to exaggeration and force. Spanish literature reached its maximum splendor in this era.
Read MoreSpanish Literary Forms: Ballads and La Celestina
Ballads: Characteristics and Origins
Ballads are short epic-lyrical poems, generally composed to be written or sung with music. They are written in eight-syllable verses with assonance rhyme, often leaving odd verses unrhymed.
Source and Transmission
The origin dates back to the second half of the 14th century. Epics began to lose importance, and only famous passages remained in memory, leading to the romances. The hemistichs from Cantares de Gesta verses are considered the source of the romance.
Their
Read MoreLiterary Voices: Spain’s Generation of ’27 Poets
Jorge Guillén (1893-1984)
His two most important books are Song and Clamor. In Song, he presents a perfect world. In Clamor, he reflects on war, misery, pain, oppression, and torture. Despite these themes, the poet does not fall into despair or distress, maintaining his faith in life.
Gerardo Diego (1896-1987)
His work is characterized by a variety of topics and receives influences from Modernism, Ultraísmo, Creationism, Gongorism, and classical styles. Some notable titles include: Picture, Manual
Read MoreSpanish Poetry’s Silver Age: The Generation of ’27
The Generation of ’27: A Golden Age of Spanish Poetry
During the 1920s, a group of poets developed their work, producing a new glory of Spanish poetry that some critics have called the Silver Age. Their names include:
- Pedro Salinas
- Jorge Guillén
- Rafael Alberti
- Federico García Lorca
- Luis Cernuda
- Vicente Aleixandre
- Gerardo Diego
- Dámaso Alonso
- Emilio Prados
- Manuel Altolaguirre
The group’s name comes from the celebration in 1927 of the tercentenary of the death of Góngora. All these poets converged at the Center
Read MoreClassical World Unveiled: Heroes, Epics, and Tragedies
Understanding Ancient Greek & Roman Heroes
A hero in ancient contexts was often a mortal who, upon death, left behind a strong, vivid spirit. Occasionally, figures like Heracles, Orpheus, Aeneas, and Romulus (Aeneas and Romulus were mortal men who became gods after their deaths) ascended to divinity. Heroes were figures of divine and aristocratic origin, allowing them to exist in the space between mortals and gods. They were also recognized for performing extraordinary accomplishments, especially
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