Castilian Society, Culture, and Literature in the 15th Century
Castilian Society in the 15th Century
The 15th century in Castile was marked by civil wars, conflicts, rebellions, and revolts involving both the nobility and the peasantry. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, united the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, imposing an authoritarian and centralist monarchy. They liquidated feudalism, dominated the nobility and the Church, and completed the Reconquista in 1492, expelling the Jews and establishing the Inquisition.
Later,
Read MoreHomer’s Epics: Iliad and the Trojan War
**Homer’s Epics: The Iliad and the Trojan War**
**Homer’s Work**
Homer was a contemporary of the events narrated in his work. The city of Troy was taken by the Greeks around 1250 BC, five centuries before the *Iliad* was written. The bard was writing the verses and a singer of warriors’ deeds accompanied him, inspired by the Muses. They were part of the Mycenaean world when the Greek alphabet was not known, but a writing system existed. The bard was Mycenaean. He created a syllabary and sang learned
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Key Authors and Works (14th-15th Centuries)
**Juan de Mena (1411-1456)**
**Jorge Manrique (1440-1479)**
Roman Religious Practices and Beliefs: Family, Death, and Priesthood
Theme V: Roman Religious Practices and Beliefs
Family Deities
- Person Founder of Gens: Traced back to a deity or personality of the heroic past.
- Lares: Benefactors. Joint family divinities represented by statuettes were kept in a lararium located at the entrance of the house.
- Penates: Divinities protecting the pantry (penus), home, as well as health and family welfare.
- Manes: Corresponded to the dead souls of the family, represented by statuettes. They were honored with offerings of flowers and food.
The
Read MoreAntonio Machado’s Poem: A Reflection on Lost Dreams
Antonio Machado’s Poem: A Reflection on Lost Dreams
The main theme of the text is located in its last lines, particularly in the dialogue that the poet maintains with the source within him. The source of the poet tries to remember a dream that is too far away in time. This dialogue between the source and the poet takes place in a space and time perfectly located in the poem:
- Time: Late summer
- Area: A park
With a number of important elements: the ivy on the wall, the rusty iron gate, the old lock that
Miguel de Cervantes: Life, Works, and Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes: Life and Works
Miguel de Cervantes (1547 – 1616) was born in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. He participated in the Battle of Lepanto, where he lost the use of his left hand. He was captured by Turks and held for five years until he was ransomed. In Seville, he served as a commissioner of provisions for the Spanish Armada and was jailed on occasion. He spent his last years in Valladolid and Madrid.
Poetry
Cervantes considered himself a poor poet, as he acknowledged in his work Journey
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