Don Quixote: Analysis of Themes, Structure, and Style
Don Quixote: Argument
Don Quixote: Argument: A Don Quixote, driven mad by reading books of chivalry, believes himself to be a medieval knight in the 17th century. He takes to the roads with the aim to “fix wrongs” and encounters the scorn and aggression of his contemporaries. Only Sancho Panza, motivated by the promise of wealth, accompanies him on his crazy adventures.
Don Quixote: Structure
Structure: The adventures revolve around Don Quixote’s three journeys:
- 1st (Chapters 1-6): He is alone and not
Baroque Poetry, Prose, and Theater: Concepts and Key Figures
Baroque Literature: Poetry, Prose, and Theater
Poetry: Concept and Style
The Baroque poetry concept reflects the Baroque aesthetic, centered on intellect and the play of ideas. Expressive language is used to convey the meaning of the work, as seen in the works of Quevedo.
Culteranismo
Culteranismo, exemplified by Góngora’s style, presents an embellished reality. It employs a cultivated lexicon, Latin syntax, and mythological themes.
Luis de Góngora
Góngora’s cultured poetry introduces culteranismo,
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: Lorca, Alberti, Cernuda, Aleixandre, Alonso, Hernandez
Key Figures in 20th Century Spanish Poetry
The work is varied, encompassing traditional themes and forms. It employs sonnets, songs, and romances, and romantic compositions dominate.
Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)
Federico García Lorca was a great poet and playwright. His work presents constant themes (love, frustration, and tragic fate) and a personal style with evocative imagery. Lorca’s poetry is dramatic, theatrical, and tragic. It is theatrical because it is expressed through characters,
Read MoreRenaissance Literature: Key Authors and Works
Literature in the Renaissance
The Renaissance, meaning “rebirth,” marked a period of significant change, including the discovery of America, economic expansion, trade development, population growth, and new ways of thinking, understanding life, human relations, writing, and reading.
The Golden Century
The sixteenth century saw the rise of prominent figures like the poets Garcilaso de la Vega, Fray Luis de Leon, and San Juan de la Cruz.
Prose
Notable prose works include Lazarillo de Tormes and Miguel
Read MoreGarcilaso de la Vega: Renaissance Poetry and Style
Garcilaso de la Vega: His Work
Garcilaso de la Vega’s work was ready for editing and published in 1543. It was compiled by his friend Juan Boscán and is relatively short: 3 Églogas, 40 Sonetos, 4 Canciones, 2 Elegías, one verse, and 1 Epístola. It contains no samples of traditional songbook poetry.
The sonnets are loving, and the canciones and elegías reveal a new Renaissance sensibility. They show a direct influence of the classics and a stoic attitude toward unfortunate events. His eclogues,
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Genres, Authors, and Works
The Essay Genre
The essay genre meets educational needs and the utility of illustration, representing a new style of prose: plain, direct, natural, and accurate, without artifice. The essay seeks reflection.
José Cadalso: In 1772, he published The Pseudo-Intellectuals, a satire on false intellectuals. In 1793, he released his Moroccan Letters, expressing his thoughts on Spanish society and culture. His final work, Mournful Nights, features a protagonist who converses with the undertaker, wanting
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