Spanish Language: Origin, Development, and Historical Stages
Origin and Development of the Spanish Language
The main stages in the formation of the Spanish language are:
1) From Source to Romance Languages
All languages spoken in Spain, except Basque, originate from Latin. However, they also have superstrate features consisting of pre-Roman languages.
2) Pre-Roman Languages
Before the arrival of the Romans, there was no linguistic unity in the Iberian Peninsula. Various peoples lived there, including:
- Celtic peoples in the north and west
- Iberians in the south and
Antonio Machado’s Works and the Generation of ’14
Work of Antonio Machado
Antonio Machado was one of the leading Spanish poets of the 20th century. His fundamental work is poetry. He became a symbol upon his death during the Spanish Civil War.
Key Works:
- Solitudes, Galleries, and Other Poems: Initially published in 1902 as “Soledades”, it was expanded and renamed in 1907. The final, enlarged edition appeared in 1917. This work belongs to Machado’s modernist phase, influenced by Verlaine. It features decadent themes. Key themes include loneliness,
Emporiae: Roman City in the Iberian Peninsula
The Roman City of Emporiae
Coinciding with the military campaign, the Roman general Scipio landed at the port of Empúries, aiming to cut off the land route of the Carthaginian troops from the city of Sagunto. Cato established a military camp in Empúries. The Romans defeated the Carthaginians and strengthened their positions in the Mediterranean. The camp evolved into a Roman city, and during the reign of Augustus, the Greek and Roman settlements were physically and legally unified under the name
Read MoreRenaissance Poetry: Petrarch, Garcilaso, and San Juan
Renaissance Poetry: Key Figures and Themes
Petrarch
Subjects: Medieval courtly love: the idealized lady, classical indifference.
Resources: Incorporates many references to Latin poets, expressing the sorrows of an impossible, ideal, and distant love.
Expression of Feeling: Petrarch is a poet who manages to convey a wide range of feelings (pain, absence, jealousy, sadness).
Language: Polished, clear, and vivid language.
Poetic Figures:
- Frequency of antithesis, correlations, and apparent paradoxes.
- Alliteration
Stephen Dedalus’s Journey: Religion and Politics in Ireland
Portrait Religion
Religion’s Influence on Stephen Dedalus
Joyce fills his work with what actually happened in Ireland at that moment (1916), so it’s a clear reflection of life in Ireland, not only Stephen’s life and development. Religion is one of the main topics of the work. Religion is what surrounds Stephen at school: he attends Clongowes Wood College, and his childish mind starts seeing his teachers, who are priests, as really intelligent people. Stephen has a Christian view of the world; he believes
Read MoreFamous Venezuelan Artists: Michelena, Reveron, Carreño, Parra
Famous Venezuelan Artists
Arturo Michelena (Painter)
Arturo Michelena was born in Valencia, Carabobo State in 1863. A contemporary and friend of Cristobal Rojas, they shared similar educational opportunities, presentation of work, and the same disease that led to their early deaths.
Michelena received more awards than Rojas, both in France and in Caracas, where he lived most of his life. One of his most famous paintings, in honor of General Paez, is known as “Vuelvan Caras.”