Cervantes’ Don Quixote: Themes, Characters, and Structure
Don Quixote: A Literary Analysis
Don Quixote is a seminal work of Spanish literature. Part 1 appeared in 1605 under the title “The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha” and consists of a prologue, poems burlesque, and 52 chapters in four parts. Part 2 was published in 1615 under the name “The Ingenious Knight Don Quixote,” consisting of a prologue and 74 chapters. A year before, in 1614, the Second Volume of the Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote de la Mancha appeared, signed by Alonso Fernandez
Read MoreGarcilaso de la Vega: Spanish Renaissance Poet
Garcilaso de la Vega
Work
Garcilaso is one of the greatest Spanish poets, known for formal perfection and significant influence across centuries. However, his poetry remained unpublished during his lifetime. His works were first published in 1543 in Barcelona by the widow of Juan Boscán, who edited the poetry of the two friends in a volume titled *Las obras de Boscán y algunas de Garcilaso de la Vega*.
The Toledo-born author cultivated two types of poetry of the time: traditional Castilian poetry
Read MoreSpanish Narrative Trends: 1940s to 2000s
The 1940s: Evasion and Witness
The end of the Spanish Civil War was marked by a dual approach in the world of narrative:
- Trend-Evasion (Avoidance): This trend remained distant from the problems of society and man.
- Trend-Testimonial (Witness): This trend represented a conformist reaction. Authors in this current depicted sordid environments, violent literature, abnormal characters, angry behavior, and asphyxiating spaces without fuss. The atmosphere of degradation was a kind of implicit social criticism.
Spanish Golden Age Theater: Tirso and Calderón
Tirso de Molina
Foreign History Plays: Works in which the behavior of the characters is very “Hispanicized” (e.g., The Imperial Otto).
In Honor: Rural people are virtuous and represent the purity of blood. Lope thinks we should extol their figure against the crisis in the countryside, which has become a literary topic: “Contempt of court and praise of the village” (e.g., Punishment without Revenge).
Authors of this cycle include Lope de Vega, Guillén de Castro (Las Mocedades del Cid), Luis Vélez
Read More15th Century Spanish Literature: Origins and Key Authors
This document outlines key aspects of 15th-century Spanish literature, tracing its roots and highlighting significant authors and works.
Historical and Social Context
The 15th century was marked by a theocentric and feudal society in the Iberian Peninsula. The coexistence of three major religions and the clash of cultures during the Reconquista significantly influenced the literature of the time.
Early Manifestations of Castilian
Early forms of Castilian Spanish emerged around the 9th century:
- Glosses:
Spanish Generation of 1927: Key Authors and Works
Generation of 1927: A Literary Movement
Formed by a large group of artists (painters, writers, etc.), the Generation of 1927 is the most important poetic group of its time. The year 1927 marked the tercentenary of the death of Luis de Góngora (1627). All the authors came from public, liberal education, and all were university literature specialists. They were united by a close relationship of friendship. Their models were Góngora and Juan Ramón Jiménez, both of whom developed a perfect student
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