Medieval Poetry: Troubadours to Ausias March
Medieval Poetry: From Troubadours to Ausias March
Throughout the 12th century, the first written testimonies of Romance languages appeared, proving the independence of each Romance territory from Latin. In medieval times, poetic compositions were inextricably linked to singing with musical accompaniment. The rhythms to which they were subjected to the imperatives of musical notation were still poorly defined. In the Iberian Peninsula, two traditions are known: the Mozarabic kharjas within the poetics
Read MoreMiguel de Cervantes and Lazarillo de Tormes: Life and Works
Miguel de Cervantes: Life and Literary Career
Early Life and Military Service
Born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547, Miguel de Cervantes, initially a barber-surgeon, experienced a difficult childhood marked by frequent moves between Cordoba, Seville, and Madrid. He became a disciple of Lopez de Hoyos. In 1569, Cervantes traveled to Italy to serve Cardinal Acquaviva before joining the army. He participated in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. In 1575, while returning to Spain, he was captured by Barbary
Read MoreLatin American Literature and Theater: 1900s Trends
The American Novel in the Twentieth Century
In the first thirty years of the twentieth century, a realistic novel dominated, introducing the American countryside as part of a grand and wild nature.
From the forties, a major renovation of the novel took place that influenced the new narrative techniques: the interior monologue, the jumps in time, or a combination of different viewpoints. Realism of the previous era was broken, and different trends emerged, the best known of which is magical realism,
Read MoreArchaic Greek Lyric Poetry: Elegy and Iambic Forms
Lyric poetry has its roots in papyrus texts, which were often fragmented. The reader must participate in the creation of the story when there are gaps. This fragmentation is so important that it even comes to writing poetry. Lyric poetry is associated with music and even dancing. Although in some respects it is heir to the epic, it has some unique characteristics. Different genders use different dialects. The different types are the elegy and iamb, the Homeric poems, and choral lyrics.
Elegy and
Read MoreAntonio Machado: Life, Poetry, and Legacy
Antonio Machado: A Life in Verse
Biographical Data
Antonio Machado was born in Seville in 1875. At the age of eight, he moved with his family to Madrid and was educated at the *Institución Libre de Enseñanza*. He was the brother of the poet Manuel Machado. He worked as a French professor at the Institute of Soria. In 1909, he married Leonor Izquierdo, a 16-year-old girl who tragically died three years later. This event deeply affected Machado, leading him to leave Soria and seek teaching positions
Read MoreRoman Theater Origins: From Hellenistic Influence to Plautus and Terence
The Origin of Roman Theater and its Hellenistic Influence
The origin of theater performances and dramatic arts is linked to the Hellenistic culture of the Roman generals after the First Punic War, with the presence of Roman troops in southern Italy and Sicily, i.e., not belonging to the Hellenistic period. The first performances are attributed to Livius Andronicus, who was entrusted with the staging of a tragedy and a comedy from the Greek to celebrate the Ludi Romani at the end of the First Punic
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