Romanticism in Spain: Literature, Poetry, Theater, and Prose
Romanticism in Spain
Introduction: The 19th century in Europe began with a strong current of thought based on individual freedom, appreciation of nature, and the affirmation of nationalities against all forms of oppression. This was Romanticism. It achieved full victory in Spain and became a fundamental attitude towards life: the affirmation of self, freedom, rebellion, and the mysterious. Reason was replaced by the romantic spirit, with maximum values of freedom and feeling.
Features of Romanticism
- The
Spanish Poetry: From Modernism to the Generation of ’27
Early 20th Century: Modernism and Novecento
Spanish poetry followed similar steps to the novel: Modernism, Novecento, Avant-garde, and Rehumanization. The influence of Modernism is evident in the first decades of the century, not only in strictly Modernist authors like Manuel Machado but even in poets of the Noventaiochista movement.
Modernism is characterized by the use of aesthetic language, an elaborate and romantic attitude, and an evasion of reality. The most important poet of this stage is Antonio
Read MoreMallorcan Poets: Alcover and Costa i Llobera
Antoni Maria Alcover (Palma 1854-1926)
In his literary career, decisive influence came from personal and family circumstances that were tragic. After the death of his first wife and, later, two of his sons, the Catalan language became the only instrument to express his pain. Poetry became a way of representing the memory of his loved ones. Misfortune made two of his children die on the same evening, one in Barcelona and one in Mallorca. Depressed by grief, he abandoned poetry.
Alcover wrote poems
Read MorePre-Romanesque Art in Spain: Visigothic and Asturian Styles
Pre-Romanesque Art in Spain: Visigothic and Asturian Periods
Visigothic Art (5th-8th Centuries)
Visigothic art in Spain, while influenced by Roman traditions, developed its own unique characteristics. One notable feature is its coarseness, a deliberate aesthetic choice. A defining element of Visigothic architecture is the horseshoe arch, an arch resembling a circle with approximately one-third removed. This arch, likely of Eastern origin, was employed extensively in their constructions.
Key examples
Read MoreMedieval and Renaissance Poetry: Chanson de Geste, Ballads, and Mester de Clerecía
The Chanson de Geste
The earliest forms of European literature include epic poems in Romance languages. These epics narrate the exploits of medieval knights, elevating them to the status of heroes. These poems were widely accepted and recited by minstrels (juglares). The profession of minstrelsy is known as mester de juglaría.
Features of Chansons de Geste
- Meter: Irregular series of verses with assonance rhyme.
- Directness: The narrator gives voice to the characters through direct speech.
- Realism: To
Hellenistic and Roman Art and Architecture
Hellenistic Period
The Hellenistic period refers to the time between the death of Alexander the Great and the annexation of Egypt to the Roman Empire. It is a new civilization in which Greek elements are combined with Oriental ones. The main centers were major cities, with a hypodamic plan. Architectural characteristics include multi-story buildings, giant columns, and overlapping orders (1st Ionic, 2nd Corinthian). Large Hellenistic art creations were sculpted.
- Athens: Overwhelmed by the economic