Epic Poetry of Medieval Spain: Chansons de Geste and El Cid
Epic Poetry
Epic poetry narrates the heroic deeds of characters deeply rooted in their communities. This genre emphasizes action and adventure, with the pursuit of honor through risk as its central theme.
A distinction is often made between learned epic poetry with known authors and popular epic poetry transmitted orally and anonymously. The authorship of medieval epic poems (typically called chansons de geste) is often debated. Scholars suggest educated writers with historical and literary knowledge
Read MoreLatin American Boom: A Literary Revolution
The Rise of the Latin American Novel
Late Bloom and the Search for Identity
The novel in Spanish America developed slowly, reaching its peak in the 20th century with the exploration of independence and a unique Latin American narrative style. The “Boom” generation of writers moved away from ideology and captivated readers with literature that blended modern experimentation with distinct elements of Latin American life and culture. Their works incorporated themes such as the forest, myth, oral tradition,
Read MoreMedieval Spanish Literature: An Overview
Medieval Spanish Literature
Narrative Voices and Perspectives
Narrator
Explicit: Set out as a character’s own story, usually in the second person.
Implicit: Shown as a figure that organizes and tells the story, typically in the third person.
Viewpoint
Internal: The narrator tells what happens from the perspective of one or more characters in the story.
External: The narrator tells what happens from a perspective completely detached from the characters.
Omniscient: The narrator is shown as knowledgeable
Read MoreOverview of Catalan Literature: From Verdaguer to Carner
Jacinto Verdaguer (1845-1902)
The great creator of modern literary Catalan. Author of poetry themed historiopatriotica, Lirica Amatoria during youth. Noted for its sweeping and epic poetry and religious mysticism. Trained in reading Latin classical and romantic authors.
Example Work: Reflection desenganyada
Topic: Reflection desenganyada (text on poetry)
Resources: Hyperbaton / metaphor / personification / Rhetoric question. Chained rhyme / Quartet (10-6)
Miguel Costa i Llobera (1854-1922)
Experiences
Read More20th Century Spanish Literature
Spanish Literature from the Civil War to Today
Poetry from the Civil War to Today
The 1940s
The poets who remained in Spain aligned with the ideology of the victors of the war (rooted poetry), or remained silent in an inner exile (poetry dearraigada). The poetry scene of the period shows several trends: Journals Garcilaso and Escorial, and poets creating a poetry magazine Espadaña with imitation and a more direct and less rhetoric style.
Social Poetry of the 1950s
Social poetry surged as a means to
Read More20th Century Spanish Literature: From Modernism to the Avant-Garde
The Avant-Garde
Avant-garde movements, also known as isms, were not a homogeneous group. The most significant are:
- Surrealism: Trying to overcome rationality through the unconscious and imagination.
- Dada: Absurd art, defending a product of chance.
- Ultraism: Reaction against modernist ornamentation, seeking innovative and expressive metaphors.
Despite their heterogeneity, they have several common features:
- A break with the traditional conception of beauty.
- Total freedom in creation.
- Desire for novelty.
Avant-
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