17th Century Spanish Literature: Baroque and Decline
Background: 17th Century Spain
In the 17th century, Spain’s power began to decline. The reign of Philip III marked the first signs of this depletion, a trend that continued through subsequent reigns. Spain gradually lost its European territories and its prominent political role.
Social Context
The Economy
Economics played a decisive role in the 17th-century crisis. Spain failed to capitalize on the riches from the Americas, which often ended up in the hands of lenders. Economic recovery was only
Read MoreModernism in Literature: A Historical Overview
Modernism
In the late nineteenth century, a general crisis emerged as men lost confidence in progress and science’s ability to offer absolute truths. This crisis had a profound impact on art and culture, leading to the emergence of Modernism. This movement proclaimed a new and refreshing attitude towards life and manifested as a significant literary movement.
1. The Literary Modernism
Literary Modernism emerged in Latin America around 1880 as a response to the Spanish tradition and an assertion of
Read MoreThe Spanish Novel in the First Half of the 20th Century
The Social Novel
The dehumanized face of the novel arises from the 1930s, a movement claiming the rehumanization of art and a return to human concerns. Jose Diaz Fernandez’s The New Romantic Novel (1930) triggered this new literature. Contemporary historical events, such as the Soviet Revolution, World War I, and the war in Morocco, led these authors to become aware of reality and feel the need to report the objectionable aspects of society.
The issues revolved around the war in Morocco and the situation
Read MoreGeneration of ’98 and Avant-Garde Literature in Spain
Generation of ’98
Narrative
– Fiction: 98 writers experimented with new narrative techniques to overcome outdated tendencies. These included:
- Narration
- Unique character (the plot revolves around a single character)
- Life experiences (the action is in the internal struggle of the protagonist)
- Dialogue (the narrator becomes unimportant)
– Themes and Styles: Aligned with the ideology of the Generation of ’98:
- Concern for Spain (reflecting the political and social decay)
- Intrahistory (telling the story of the
Pantheon: Architectural Masterpiece of Ancient Rome
Pantheon
Pantheon (Pantheon)
FILE added (Pantheon)
Pantheon Author: Emperor Hadrian
Customers: The Emperor Hadrian
Date: 118-125 AD (previous building built by Agrippa in 27 BC)
Location: Campus Martius, Rome city
DESCRIPTION
Construction: Arquitraved and surrounded
Apparatus: Isodom
Construction materials: Concrete, brick, wood
Decorative materials: Stone, marble, stucco
Brief description: A monumental building with a large dome that combines the architecture of arquitravada with straight lines and a round
Medieval & Baroque Spanish Literature: An Overview
Medieval Spain
Socio-Political Situation
Medieval Spain experienced a unique socio-political landscape compared to the rest of Europe, characterized by:
- La Reconquista: Following the Roman Empire, the Visigothic monarchy ruled until the Muslim conquest in the 8th century. The Reconquista, a long war waged by Christian kingdoms, aimed to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula.
- Los Reinos Cristianos: During the Reconquista, the former Visigothic monarchy fragmented into various Christian kingdoms, which laid the