Sixteenth-Century Castilian Prose: Renaissance Literature
Sixteenth-Century Castilian Prose
Castilian prose in the Renaissance developed along four main directions:
Didactic Prose
Aimed at the improvement of man and the reformation of society. Examples include:
- Juan Valdés, Diálogo de la Lengua
- Fray Antonio de Guevera, Contempt of Court
Historical Prose
Driven by the expansionary effect of the time and the prospects created with the conquest of America. This stream is represented by Father Mariana’s Indian History, which has a formative purpose.
Religious Prose
In
Read MoreShakespeare’s Early Works: Themes, Styles, and Characters
Shakespeare’s Early Style
Shakespeare’s Early Style: The Two Gentlemen of Verona compares social classes, whilst The Taming of the Shrew is a sexist comedy. The servants are going to speak the truth in the first one; they will perceive reality better than the royal classes. One of the common things in his early comedies is the perception of reality, substance and shadow, and deception. The use of female roles disguised as men is one of the most repetitive topics in Shakespeare’s plays, normally
Read MoreRenaissance Literature: Poetry, Drama, and Prose
During the Renaissance, the creative energy of the English people burst forth into the greatest harvest of literature the Western world had yet known. Poets and playwrights, readers and listeners, all delighted in the vigor and beauty of the English language. The glittering Elizabethan court was a focus of poetic creativity. Members of the court vied with one another to see who could create the most highly polished, technically perfect poems. The appreciative audience for these lyrics was the elite
Read MoreNeoclassicism vs. Romanticism: Key Differences Explored
Neoclassicism and Romanticism: A Period of Transition
Between Neoclassicism and Romanticism, we find a period of transition. Romanticism breaks with traditional ideals, but this was not an overnight change. Pre-romanticism prepares us for the Romantic movement.
Romanticism vs. Neoclassicism
We can find a great deal of differences between these two literary movements in various aspects:
The View of the Universe
In Neoclassical Arts, the universe is compared to a machine, to a watch, where everything works
18th-Century Poetry and Neoclassical Theater: Key Features
Eighteenth-Century Poetry and Theater
In the 18th century, three main currents emerged in theater:
- The Baroque tradition, which gradually gave way to neoclassical ideals.
- A return to the classics, emphasizing Enlightenment ideas and didacticism.
- The Pre-Romantic movement, focusing on social concerns and freedom.
Poetry of this era also displayed diverse trends: Rococo, Pre-Romantic, and Enlightenment styles. The Enlightenment style embraced Enlightenment ideals, aiming to educate and uplift, resulting
Read MoreRamón C.: 20th Century Portuguese Literature
Ramón C. and 20th Century Portuguese Literature
Ramón C., in the early years of 20th-century Portuguese literature, is identified with the genre’s lyrical themes: Agrarianism, Celticists, withdrawal, and civic stagnation. These themes continued in the work of followers of the three great masters of Rexurdimento. Ramón C. played a role in updating poetry, since his work incorporates new elements of European aesthetic poetry.
His influences include Greco-Latin tradition from the late European Romanticism,
Read More