Spanish Literary Forms: Ballads and La Celestina
Ballads: Characteristics and Origins
Ballads are short epic-lyrical poems, generally composed to be written or sung with music. They are written in eight-syllable verses with assonance rhyme, often leaving odd verses unrhymed.
Source and Transmission
The origin dates back to the second half of the 14th century. Epics began to lose importance, and only famous passages remained in memory, leading to the romances. The hemistichs from Cantares de Gesta verses are considered the source of the romance.
Their
Read MoreLiterary Voices: Spain’s Generation of ’27 Poets
Jorge Guillén (1893-1984)
His two most important books are Song and Clamor. In Song, he presents a perfect world. In Clamor, he reflects on war, misery, pain, oppression, and torture. Despite these themes, the poet does not fall into despair or distress, maintaining his faith in life.
Gerardo Diego (1896-1987)
His work is characterized by a variety of topics and receives influences from Modernism, Ultraísmo, Creationism, Gongorism, and classical styles. Some notable titles include: Picture, Manual
Read MoreSpanish Poetry’s Silver Age: The Generation of ’27
The Generation of ’27: A Golden Age of Spanish Poetry
During the 1920s, a group of poets developed their work, producing a new glory of Spanish poetry that some critics have called the Silver Age. Their names include:
- Pedro Salinas
- Jorge Guillén
- Rafael Alberti
- Federico García Lorca
- Luis Cernuda
- Vicente Aleixandre
- Gerardo Diego
- Dámaso Alonso
- Emilio Prados
- Manuel Altolaguirre
The group’s name comes from the celebration in 1927 of the tercentenary of the death of Góngora. All these poets converged at the Center
Read MoreClassical World Unveiled: Heroes, Epics, and Tragedies
Understanding Ancient Greek & Roman Heroes
A hero in ancient contexts was often a mortal who, upon death, left behind a strong, vivid spirit. Occasionally, figures like Heracles, Orpheus, Aeneas, and Romulus (Aeneas and Romulus were mortal men who became gods after their deaths) ascended to divinity. Heroes were figures of divine and aristocratic origin, allowing them to exist in the space between mortals and gods. They were also recognized for performing extraordinary accomplishments, especially
Read MoreAncient Greek Art & Architecture: A Comprehensive Study
Ancient Greece: Humanism and Historical Periods
In ancient Greece, humanity was considered the axis and measure of all history and fundamental principles. Consequently, great importance was given to the exterior and public life. We can highlight three significant periods in Greek art and culture: Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic.
Greek Architecture: Temples and Orders
In Greek architecture, the temple is the most emphasized edifice, characterized by several key features:
- A gable roof
- A *pediment*
16th Century European Novels: Idealism vs. Realism
The Novel in the 16th Century
The narrative genre experienced a profound renewal in the 16th century. This change was facilitated by the rise of printing, which aided the diffusion of novels. During this period, two main currents emerged: the idealistic novel, rooted in medieval tradition, and the new Italian genre, which recreated idyllic worlds and characters for entertainment. By the mid-16th century, the realist novel also appeared, giving voice to marginal characters and depicting unpleasant
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