Medieval Literature: Poetry, Genres, and Society
Artistic Expression in Literature
Literature creates a fictional world with aesthetic intention. It utilizes language functions to amuse, entertain, and transmit ideas. It holds great value and purpose, evoking emotion and teaching aesthetic delight. The author (issuer) communicates with the reader (recipient), which is of great importance in the context of the work.
Literary Devices
- Form: Verse and prose.
- Hyperbaton: Syntactical stylistic device that alters the order of words (1st level).
- Alliteration:
Romanticism in Spanish Literature: Espronceda, Rosalia, and Becquer
Romanticism in Spanish Literature
Romanticism had its origins in Germany in the “Sturm und Drang” movement and was introduced into Spain by José Cadalso with his work *Noches lúgubres* (*Mournful Nights*). This writer championed imagination, emotions, and lofty rhetoric in literary creation. Romanticism is a vital attitude that seeks freedom, but perceives that reality continually puts limits on one’s desires. It stems from a vital pessimism (tedium vitae): they feel stranded.
Romantic Poetry
In
Read MoreRomanticism: Origins, Ideology, and Key Figures in Europe and Spain
Romanticism: A Cultural Renewal
Romanticism, spanning Europe in the early 19th century, marked a profound spiritual renewal and a unique approach to life, influencing all cultural domains. The movement’s initial expressions emerged in 1798 in Germany and England, coinciding with significant political and social shifts:
- Rise of parliamentary governments.
- Triumph of Liberalism in the French Revolution (1830).
- The Industrial Revolution and the expansion of capitalism.
- Ascension of the bourgeoisie to political
Literary Genres and Their Characteristics: A Comprehensive Look
EPIC
Epics are explanations of facts surrounded by space and time, where we find a narrative voice.
- Epic: A story that explains the origins of a people.
- Epic Poem: A medieval work focused on a protagonist who is a hero, serving as a model of identification.
- Epic Poem: Similar to a *chanson de geste* but much briefer.
Prose
- Novel: An extensive work with complex characters, using different modes of expression.
- Tale: Brief, summarized arguments with more basic characters.
LYRIC
Lyrics are expressions of a poetic
Read MoreCommon Literary Devices and Their Usage
Literary Devices
Repetition
Alliteration: Repetition of sounds or groups of similar sounds. Example: The silence seemed to say something, a soft susurrus like a bee.
Anaphora: Repetition of one or more items at the beginning of several lines or syntactic groups. Example: No death in love forgives, no heedless life, do not forgive the earth or nothing.
Parallelism: Repetition of similar constructions in two or more verses or syntactic groups. Example: Oh, my linen shirts! Oh, my poppy thighs!
Polysyndeton:
Read MoreBaroque Poetry: Quevedo, Góngora, Themes and Techniques
Quevedo’s Style: Characterized by a focus on the “bottom,” Quevedo’s work is marked by ingenious ideas and sharp language. He employs short phrases, rhythm, and a prose filled with antitheses, paradoxes, and parallels, creating both mobility and difficulty. His style is evident in both prose and verse. Quevedo uses a variety of puns, contributing multiple meanings through words with different but similar sounds (paronomasias). He uses syntactic devices, such as hyperbaton, to upset the logical order
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