Blas de Otero, Mihura, and Spanish Literary Movements
Blas de Otero (Bilbao, 1916)
During the early postwar years, Blas de Otero practiced law, but his literary vocation led him back to Madrid, where he studied Philosophy and Letters. His important works, Ancia, were published around 1950-1951. His first two works are considered among the best of the postwar poetry. Otero focuses on existential themes such as the meaning of life, the loneliness of man, and the failure to achieve fulfillment in love.
There is a reflection on the essence of humanity, trying
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: Francoism, Social Poetry, and the Mid-Century Poets
Poetry in the Franco Era (1939-1975)
Between 1939 and 1975, Spain lived under the dictatorship of Franco. Features of the period include: restriction of liberties, slow regeneration of Spanish culture, self-sufficiency, and shortages.
During the 1940s, Spanish poetry prevailed in the expression of religious and existential concerns.
Postwar poetry begins with two books by authors of the Generation of ’27, published in 1944: Hijos de la ira (Children of Wrath) by Dámaso Alonso and Sombra del paraíso
Read MoreHistory of the Spanish Language: From Origins to Golden Age
The Pre-Roman Languages of the Iberian Peninsula
The Romans arrived in Spain in 218 BC. At that time, the peninsula was inhabited by various peoples, each speaking their own language. Basque, or Euskera, is the only surviving pre-Roman language. Its origin is unknown, and it is currently spoken in the Basque Country.
Romanization and the Spread of Vulgar Latin
Romanization was a long period (3rd century BC – 5th century AD) during which Rome imparted its language, literature, art, administration,
Read MoreMedieval Lyric Poetry: Popular and Cultured Traditions
Popular Lyrics: Subject
Lyric poetry, known as the Middle Ages, refers to the set of anonymous poems transmitted orally by the people in the Iberian Peninsula from the 11th century.
Peninsular Events
There are three main events:
- The jarchas: Written in the Mozarabic dialect, the language of the Christians of al-Ándalus (from the 11th century).
- The cantigas de amigo: Composed in Galician-Portuguese (13th-14th centuries).
- The villancicos: Written in Castilian (14th-15th centuries).
Formal and Thematic Characteristics
They
Read MoreLatin American Narrative: Realism to Boom
Latin American Narrative in the Second Half of the 20th Century
Two Stages
The Latin American narrative in the second half of the 20th century can be divided into two main stages:
- Overcoming Realism: Initially, realism was the dominant form, represented by authors like Mariano Azuela and Ricardo Güiraldes. This stage saw the emergence of regional and indigenous novels, characterized by their realistic portrayal of diverse and magnificent nature, political conflicts, and social problems.
- The Emergence
Spanish and Latin American Poets: Mid-Century to Contemporary
Miguel Hernández (1910-1942)
Miguel Hernández, born into a humble family, was largely self-taught. He married Josefina Manresa, who, along with books provided by a friend, greatly influenced him. In 1934, he joined the Communist Party and later enlisted in the Republican army. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and died of tuberculosis in 1942 in Alicante prison.
Key Works:
- Expert on Moons
- Lightning That Does Not Cease
- The Violated Whistle
- Wind of the People
- Man is a Hunter
- Songs and Ballads of Absences