Poem of the Cid: Summary, Context, and Characters
Poem of Mio Cid
Poem of Mio Cid tells the story of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, also known as “El Cid Campeador.” He was a real historical figure who gained widespread admiration. The poem is the only nearly complete version of a Spanish epic poem that has been preserved. It was composed in the late twelfth century by Per Abbat. The Cid is portrayed as a humane and sensible hero. The central theme revolves around the great warrior’s fall from grace and his subsequent struggle to regain royal favor and
Read MoreBaroque Poetry and Theater: Góngora, Quevedo, Calderón
Baroque Poetry: Thematic Aspects
Thematic Aspects:
- Love Poetry: Continuous love, from the Renaissance ideal to the survival of physical description, to the images of the Petrarchan beloved.
- Philosophical and Moral Poetry: Marked by pessimism, disappointment, the contrast between reality and appearance, the fugacity of life, and awareness of death.
- Burlesque Poetry: Abounds in humorous parody, mockery, personal attacks, and degradation of classical myths, themes, and style of earlier literature.
Luis
Read MoreBlas 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
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