Spanish Theater and Literature of the Early 20th Century
Pre-Theater 1936
The Theater that Trumped
The nature of the show, particularly concerning the theater, faced strong commercial constraints due to the dominance of local private entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs had to consider the tastes of the aristocratic and bourgeois public. According to Francisco Ruiz Ramon’s History of the Theater, two trends emerged:
Bourgeois Comedy
The bourgeois public sought entertainment rather than moral dilemmas in theater. Consequently, authors catered to public taste
Read MoreSpanish Theater and Literature of the Early 20th Century
Pre-Theater 1936
The Theater that Trumped
The nature of the show, particularly concerning the theater, faced strong commercial constraints due to the absolute dominance of local private entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs had to consider the tastes of the aristocratic and bourgeois public. According to Francisco Ruiz Ramon’s History of the Theater, two trends emerged:
Bourgeois Comedy
The bourgeois public sought entertainment rather than moral dilemmas in the theater. Consequently, authors catered to
Read MoreOverview of Literary Genres and Subgenres
Literary Devices
Epiphora: Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences (Anaphora is similar but occurs at the beginning).
Homophony: Two or more words with the same pronunciation but different meanings.
Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate natural sounds.
Paranomasia: Use of words that sound alike but have different meanings in close proximity.
Polysyndeton: Repetition of conjunctions (e.g., and, or, but).
Hyperbaton: Alteration of the normal word order in a sentence.
Literary
Read MoreLinguistic Situation in Spain: Languages and Dialects
Linguistic Situation in Spain Today
The languages spoken in Spain are:
- Galician
- Catalan (with Valencian and Balearic dialects)
- Castilian (derived from Latin)
- Basque (also known as Euskera, predates the arrival of the Romans)
Process of Formation of the Iberian Languages
The formation of Iberian languages is based on two key events:
- Roman Colonization: Introduced Latin to the Iberian Peninsula.
- Muslim Invasion: Brought the influence of Arabic.
While other languages were equated with Roman Latin, only the Basque
Read MoreRenaissance and Baroque Literature in Spain
Renaissance Narrative in Spain
The European Renaissance Epic
Homer:
- Iliad: Characters: Paris, Helen, Hector, Achilles. Argument: Tells of the Trojan War.
- Odyssey: Characters: Penelope, Telemachus, Odysseus. Argument: Describes Odysseus’s return to Ithaca.
Virgil:
- Aeneid: Characters: Aeneas, Dido. Argument: The adventures of Aeneas, founder of Rome.
In Italy, Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso tells of the Saracen King Agramante’s war against Charlemagne. Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered is about the
Read MoreThe Spanish Picaresque Novel: Lazarillo de Tormes
Fernando de Rojas and La Celestina
Authorship and Origins
Early 20th-century critics debated whether La Celestina had a single author, believing a work so masterful must be the product of one mind. Some even speculated that Fernando de Rojas was a pseudonym. However, modern criticism supports the authenticity of the author’s letter, which suggests a collaborative origin. The first act, written in short paragraphs and drawing on different sources of inspiration, differs from the rest of the play.
Fernando
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