Romanticism: 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
Read MoreCatalan Literature: Renaissance to 20th Century
The Renaissance
The Renaissance encouraged humanism, the current scholarly and philosophical movement of the Renaissance. The Renaissance, in a broad sense, takes on the role of the liberator of mankind. The problem seems to start in the Trastamara dynasty in 1412. There was a loss of linguistic consciousness, although Catalan continued to be the official language until the beginning of the 18th century. In addition, the dynastic unity between Castile and Aragon through the marriage of the Catholic
Read MorePetrarch’s Influence on Renaissance Literature and Spanish Poetry
Petrarch and the Renaissance
Francesco Petrarca: An Italian poet of the 14th century, whose character embodies the ideals of Humanism. His most famous works are the *Songbook*, written in the vernacular language, and *The Triumphs*. *The Triumphs* is an allegorical poem composed of six parts with unequal extensions, written in *tercetos encadenados*. Its themes are love, death, and fame. The *Songbook* influenced Spanish poetry in the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as French and English poetry.
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