Ausiàs March, James I, and Ramon Llull: Catalan Literature
Ausiàs March: A Valencian Poet of the 15th Century
Ausiàs March (Valencia, 1400-1459) came from a family of former citizens linked to the service of the crown, who ascended to the nobility in 1360. James March, his grandfather, was very influenced by the poetry of his nephew, and this is seen in his three poems of allegorical love themes, and a brief lyrical production. Ausiàs March’s father, Peter March, was the author of three new compositions in rhyme and several lyrical poems with a moral
Read MoreGalician Narrative: Evolution, Authors, and Key Themes
The New Narrative of Galicia
Beginning in the 1960s, Galician narrative can be divided into three strands. First, the narrative of authors related to Editorial Galaxia, especially Álvaro Cunqueiro, Ánxel Fole, and Eduardo Blanco Amor, who continued to publish important works. Second, a stream of realistic narrative, focusing on themes of rural Galicia and emigration, represented by Xosé Neira Vilas. Finally, the so-called “new Galician narrative,” formed by authors such as Camilo González Suárez
Read MoreRoman Historiography: Caesar, Nepos, and Sallust
Origins of Roman Historiography
The funeral eulogies (laudationes funebres) spoken at funerals of famous people, ancient records of judges, and especially the annals of the pontiffs, served as the foundation for Roman historiography. These practical writings with literary aspirations evolved as the Romans expanded their territories after the First Punic War (264-241 BC). They began to record their history as political propaganda and national affirmation, documenting events year by year, similar to
Read MoreRomanticism and Enlightenment in 18th and 19th Century Spain
Romanticism in the 19th Century
Romanticism was an ideological and aesthetic movement that began in Germany in the last third of the 19th century. It extended throughout Europe. The dominant genre was lyric poetry. The first book was a sentimental Romantic novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774), by Goethe.
Main Features:
- Against established norms, it defends imagination, feelings, and fantasy.
- Against the criterion of “universality,” it defends the differences found in the individual soul and the
Spanish Theater: From Pre-Civil War to the Present
Spanish Theater Before the Civil War
Before the Civil War, Spanish theater had been immobile and limited. Successful commercial theater followed several trends. Galdós attempted to overcome the rhetoric of Romanticism by introducing naturalism, real environments, and contentious issues. Jacinto Benavente shaped the new writing style, with works featuring little conflict and witty dialogue. He wrote comedies and stressed the unloved bourgeois. Costumbrista comedies also triumphed, as well as poetic
Read MoreRomanticism, Realism, Modernism, and the Avant-Garde
Literary Styles
Romanticism Style
Facing the neoclassical rules, Romantic creators defended originality and genius. They often used vivid language, with numerous questions, exclamations, and apostrophes, which helped to underline the feelings. When representing nature, landscapes also echoed those tormented sentiments.
Characteristics of Realism
Realism is distinguished by the following features, except that it cared more for the inner world:
- Interest in reality. The author cannot be oblivious to the