Spanish Literature: From Gypsy Ballads to Modern Poetry
**Gypsy Ballads: Federico García Lorca’s Masterpiece**
Publication: First published in the Revista de Occidente in 1928. The work was not completely unknown, as the author had recited it orally on multiple occasions. The book’s success matched its popularity in oral transmission.
**Stylistic Features of the Traditional Ballad:**
- Use of dialogue without introductory verbs or indication.
- Sudden onset and conclusion of the story.
- Use of parallelisms, anaphora, and paronomasia.
- Use of traditional narrative
Literary Movements: Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, and the Generation of ’98
Realism
Realism is characterized by a focus mainly on characters of the bourgeoisie. It is a reflection of the bourgeoisie, often in novel form, and seeks to portray social reality accurately and objectively through credible descriptions. This is based on meticulous observation of reality. The authors usually use a realistic, omniscient point of view, and the author’s comments are frequent to influence the reader’s opinion. Also striking is the use of a natural style and colloquial language.
Naturalism
Naturalism
Spanish Poetry: War, Post-War, and Blas de Otero’s Evolution
Spanish Poetry of War
The social conflict preceding the Spanish Civil War, and above all, the war itself, decisively influenced the course of poetry. Speaking of the Generation of ’27, we had seen how poetry suffered profound changes, from dehumanized formalism to “rehumanization.” During the war, this trend continued. In general, we can speak of an abandonment of aestheticism and a culture of poetry urgent, almost utilitarian in nature, oriented toward the propaganda of the ideals of both sides.
Read MoreThe Trueba-Del Valle Saga: Characters, Context, and Summary
Characters
The characters, both primary and secondary, evolve throughout the story, though some experience more significant changes than others. Here are the individuals who play a role in this grand narrative:
Clara del Valle
The youngest daughter of the Del Valle family, Clara shared a unique bond with her sister Rosa. Known for her innocence, patience, and spiritual beauty, she possessed extrasensory powers. She married Esteban Trueba, and they had three children: Blanca, Jaime, and Nicolás. Clara
Read MorePoetic Themes in Miguel Hernández: Nature, Love, Life, and Death
Poetic Themes of Miguel Hernández
Nature
Miguel Hernández (MH) was born in a rural Mediterranean environment. He lived in nature and was a great connoisseur and lover of flora. Wildlife and nature appear in many forms in his first four stages. As an adolescent and young artist, real nature shaped the character of his verses. He presents two different concepts:
- Nature connected to God: Nature is a symbol of purity and divinity.
- Nature-invention of language: Pure poetry. This appears in his first book,
Spanish Theater: Early 20th Century to 1939
Introduction
The Spanish theater of the first half of the twentieth century, apart from the work of Valle-Inclán and Lorca, has been viewed by critics unfavorably. Overall, despite the glut of nominal authors and trends, there was a belief that the Spanish scene was going through a period of decline. The Spanish dramatists of the time seemed unaware of developments elsewhere in Europe.
The theater is a literary genre that is a bit special, as it needs to be represented by actors and an audience to
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