Roman Society and the Rise and Fall of an Empire
Patricians and Commoners
Patricians: Formed by a minority of aristocratic families, descendants of the founders of Rome’s great families, grouped with common ancestors (gens). They also owned land and cattle.
Plebeians: Formed by all who came to the city after its foundation. They were the most numerous, comprising farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Crisis of the 1st Century BC
Rome went into crisis due to the expansion of its northwest. This ensued:
- Social Conflict: The conquests brought great wealth
Spanish Theater: Key Authors, Movements, and Works
Spanish Theater: Key Movements and Authors
The theatrical genre faces unique challenges, including censorship and business demands, often limited by public criticism. This overview highlights various theatrical styles, from those less concerned with commercial success to those driven by popular appeal. Key authors and their works are examined, spanning from the Generation of 98 to the Generation of 27.
The Generation of 98
Named after the disaster of 1898, this generation aimed to regenerate Spain.
Humanity’s Origins and the Rise of Mesoamerican Civilizations
Humanity’s Origins and the Rise of Mesoamerican Civilizations
The man makes history.
- 4,500,000,000 years ago: The solar system is generated.
- 3,500,000 years ago: The first forms of life (unicellular) appear, which mix or cover the Earth with water and oxygen, cooling the outside of the land, but not the interior.
- 2,000,000 years ago: Mammals appear.
- 5,000,000 years ago: Hominization, a process in which an animal evolves.
- 4,000,000 years ago: Ardipithecus ramidus, a humanoid fossil, is found in Africa
Beowulf: Epic Battles with Grendel, His Mother, and Dragon
First Battle: Grendel
Beowulf begins with the story of King Hrothgar, who constructed the great hall Heorot for his people. In it, he, his wife Wealhtheow, and his warriors spend their time singing and celebrating until Grendel, a troll-like monster pained by the noise, attacks the hall, killing and devouring many of Hrothgar’s warriors while they sleep. Grendel does not touch the throne, for it is described as being protected by the power of God. Hrothgar and his people, helpless against Grendel’
Read MoreModernist and Generation of ’27 Poetry: Key Authors and Works
Modernist Poetry
Modernism was an artistic movement against the utilitarian spirit and the aesthetic of the epoch. It stood for beauty and evasion of real life. Key authors include Rubén Darío, Manuel Machado, and Juan Ramón Jiménez. Modernism was influenced by two French movements:
- Parnassianism, which represented a worship of art for art’s sake, suggesting ideas and sentiments through formal perfection.
- Symbolism, which supported the effects of musical language.
Antonio Machado
Born in Seville,
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Modernism to Post-Civil War Era
Modernism
Symbolist and Parnassian influences from the past, free verse, and Alexandrine. Lyric Poetry.
Rubén Darío, a Romantic poet, renews the metric. Autumnal Rhymes. Azul… Modernist literary tradition begins. Musicality and rhythm. Profane Prose. Thoughtful and sincere. Song of Wandering Life and Hope to Argentina.
Manuel Machado, more intimate, skeptical, and disappointed. Folkloric and aristocratic. Alma, El Mal Poema, Cante Hondo.
Ramón del Valle-Inclán in Galicia, esoteric mystery. Legend
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