Romantic Poetry in 19th-Century Spain: Evolution & Themes
The Lyric of the 19th Century: Poetry as Self-Expression
Poetry is the genre par excellence to express subjectivity. In the 19th century, with Romanticism, poetry re-emerged with vigor and became the natural range of Romantic writers, concerned about feelings and self-expression. In the second half of the 19th century, with the advent of Realism and an objective view of reality, lyric poetry experienced another period of decline. Lyric poetry evolved dramatically: first with Modernism, conceived
Read MoreMiguel de Unamuno and the Generation of ’98
M. Unamuno (1864-1936)
Miguel de Unamuno was a person of concocted and borrowed ideas, an active and controversial intellectual who lived intensely with the preoccupations of his time and spread them through his work. His literature reflects a strong personality and revolves around his preoccupations: regeneration or existence. Therefore, it is a literature in which ideas predominate – reflective or philosophical – aimed at provoking the reader’s reflection through a vehement, agile, and very
Read MoreLuis de Góngora and Francisco de Quevedo: A Literary Analysis
Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627)
Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627) was born in Córdoba into an illustrious family. He studied at the University of Salamanca and soon returned to his city, where he held a position at the cathedral for 50 years. He was ordained as a priest and moved to Madrid as chaplain of honor to the King. He was known for his contentious relationship with other writers, particularly Quevedo.
Literary Work
Góngora’s literary work is almost exclusively poetic. He cultivated
Read MoreRomanticism and Realism in 19th Century Spanish Literature
Romanticism: An Artistic Movement in 19th Century Europe
Romanticism was an artistic movement that triumphed across Europe in the 19th century. Although it appeared in most countries in the late 18th century, starting in Germany and England, in Spain, it began with the return of exiled liberals after the death of Fernando VII. The decline of the Romantic movement began around 1850. However, in Spain, we can speak of a post-Romanticism period after 1850. Notable figures of this era include Rosalía
Read MoreQuevedo’s Poetic Legacy: Themes, Style, and Influence
Quevedo’s Poetic Legacy
Francisco de Quevedo’s work was well-known, although he was a very young poet in his time. He failed to see his poetry published in his lifetime. In 1648, his friend Gonzalez de Salas published a good number of them, excluding the compositions that did not seem relevant, and corrected in his own hand the ones that were edited. A nephew of the writer published in 1670 another part of his poetic texts, but also with various disorders. All of this means that Quevedo’s poetry
Read MoreEnglish Literature: A Historical Timeline
1. Old English – 5th Century: The Migration of the Peoples
Heroic, Religious, Elegiac
- Beowulf (unknown author) – Beowulf kills the monster Grendel and his mother, then a dragon, and dies (themes of loyalty and honor).
- Cynewulf – “The Dream of the Rood” (1st English poet)
2. Middle English – 1066: The Norman Conquest (William the Conqueror)
- Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400)
- The Pardoner’s Tale – Three men find florins under a tree, kill one another, and all die in the name of money.