Catalan Literature: A Journey Through History
1. Medieval Literature
The Middle Ages (476-1453)
- Emergence of the Western Roman Empire to the fall of Constantinople
Characteristics:
- Economic organization based on feudalism, three social groups (knights, clergy, and peasants)
- Christianity and the Church played a central role in medieval culture
- Romance languages were formed and developed
Poetry of the Troubadours
Poetry created by troubadours, accompanied by music and written in Occitan. Authors include Wilhelm Bergueda and Ramon Vidal de Basalú. Courtly
Read MoreGeneration of ’98: Literary Modernism in Spain
Formal Renewal: Style
A generational language characterized by simplicity and sobriety, emphasizing accuracy and expressiveness over prosaic realism. The value of castizo is manifested in the use of archaic words, known as terruñeras (traditional). The authors used a lexicon to express subjective assessments and inner feelings, because the landscape is not what the eyes see, but what the heart feels (landscapes of the soul).
Authors and Works
The Generation of ’98 favored lyrical modernism, utilizing
Read MoreBaroque Mentality and Golden Age Spanish Literature
Baroque Mentality and Society
Essential Features
The Baroque mentality’s essential feature was a distrust in itself and a fear of social downfall. Key issues included disillusionment, the perception of life as a dream, and obsession. Society, however, loved holidays (especially theater) and luxury. Honor was another significant topic.
It was a period of conservatism and caution in freedom of expression, a consequence of the counter-spirit. A feature of Baroque art was artifice—the concealment
Read MoreSpanish Golden Age Literature: A Comprehensive Overview
Spanish Golden Age Literature
Historical Background
The Spanish Golden Age (circa 1500-1700) witnessed a flourishing of arts and literature, coinciding with the rise of the Spanish Empire. However, this period also saw economic decline due to mismanagement of wealth from the New World, poor governance, expulsion of Jews and Moors, and continuous wars. These factors led to emigration and depopulation.
Literature of this time reflected a didactic and moralistic approach, emphasizing the fleeting nature
Read More19th Century Spanish Literature: Romanticism & Realism
Romantic Prose
Romantic prose includes historical novels and legends, such as those by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. Costumbristas newspaper articles reflect the living habits of the time.
Jose Mariano Larra (1809-1837)
Life: A defender of freedom, Larra participated in the political life of the time on the liberal side. He had a turbulent love affair with a married woman and committed suicide at 28, disillusioned by society and his personal life.
Work: His most important work was journalistic. He was a
Read MoreNarrative of Post-War Spanish Generations
The Narrative of Post-War Spanish Literature
1. Introduction – Summary
Within the narrative of postwar Spanish generations are six narratives, three arising in Franco’s Spain and three who did so after 1975.
First, the baby boom generation, which in the 1940s, in a few tough years, assumes the starting role after the Civil War, with the first attempts at renewal from realism characterized by the tone and existentialist worldview.
Second, the mid-century generation, the children of the Civil War in the
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