Spanish Baroque Theatre: Lope de Vega and Beyond
LITERATURE. ITEM 14: THE THEATRE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY: LOPE DE VEGA AND BAROQUE THEATRE
Lope de Vega’s Comedy
Lope de Vega’s comedy creates national elements of theater by blending previous themes of the national tradition. The result is an invention of his that all other authors mimicked.
Baroque Comedy: Main Features
Lope’s main features are based on the principle of artistic freedom, that is, he refuses to submit to the rules of classical theater and rejects the three dramatic unities. For
Read MoreSpanish Literature and Language Overview
Spanish Literature Overview
Authors and Styles
Camilo José Cela (1916-2002)
Born in Iria Flavia (La Coruña), Cela studied various subjects but never completed any degree. Illness led him to dedicate a long period of rest to reading classical literature. Following the success of his first novel, he devoted himself mainly to literature. He died in Madrid.
Ana María Matute (1926-2014)
Born in Barcelona in 1926, Matute composed her first novel at 17. She was one of the pioneering female writers of the
Read MoreRealism and Modernism in 19th Century Literature
Realism
Historical Context
Ideological Aspect:
Positivism, promoted by Auguste Comte, arises. Medical experimentation begins and theories of genetics develop with Mendel and Darwin. Marxism emerges, leading to class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Spiritualism, driven by Schopenhauer, also appears.
Political Aspect:
Liberalism evolves into conservatism and progressivism. The bourgeoisie gains power, while the proletariat faces oppression. Progressive artists believe in the power
Read MoreA Concise History of Catalan Literature
The Origins of Language
Catalan originated from Vulgar Latin, which degraded and fragmented into various Romance languages between the 7th and 8th centuries. The earliest Catalan texts, The Forum ludicum d’Organya and the Homilies, date from the 12th century.
Medieval Literature (13th-15th Centuries)
Catalan prose reached a level of quality and variety unmatched by other Romance Literatures during this period.
Prose
- Moral and Religious Prose: Ramon Llull’s work established Catalan literary scholarship,
Modernism in Spanish Literature: A Comprehensive Guide
Modernism in Spain
Modernism arrived in Spain with the arrival of Rubén Darío, a prominent Nicaraguan poet, in 1892. His visit, marking the fourth centenary of the discovery of America, led him to befriend important Spanish writers of the time and significantly influence younger poets.
Manuel Machado
Manuel Machado, brother of Antonio Machado, was a key figure in Spanish Modernism. He developed a unique poetic style characterized by its diverse shades, ranging from lighthearted compositions about
Read MoreNarrative of the Renaissance and Cervantes
Narrative Renaissance
The Renaissance world intended to reconcile the old and the new, to achieve its main function for the reader. Renaissance models include noble Byzantine adventures and pastoral novels.
Renaissance Models
Noble Byzantine Adventures
This subgenre attracted great Renaissance figures. Its adventures were related in exotic cities. These cities were more believable than those of the chivalric novel.
Pastoral Novel
Some shepherds in an idealized pastoral setting travel through space narrating
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