19th Century Romanticism and Realism in European Literature
19th Century Literature: Romanticism and Realism
1. Romanticism (1st Half of the 19th Century)
Romanticism was a cultural and political movement that began in the first half of the 19th century in Europe and America. It involved a new way of understanding the world, acknowledging that reason, while important, was not the sole defining factor of humanity. Romantic thinkers believed that human beings also possess feelings, fantasies, and dreams. Romantics expressed a desire for absolute freedom and
Read MoreSpanish Theater After the Civil War
Spanish Theater After the Civil War (1939-1970s)
The evaluation of Spanish theater, like that of narrative and lyric genres, is heavily influenced by the Civil War (1936-1939) and its dramatic consequences. From 1939 onward, the Spanish theatrical scene was marked by the exile of prominent writers such as Max Aub, Rafael Alberti, and Pedro Salinas, and the tragic loss of playwrights like Federico García Lorca, Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, and Miguel Hernández.
1. Postwar Theater (1939-1949)
In
Read More18th and 19th Century Literature: Enlightenment and Romanticism
1. The Enlightenment
General Introduction
The Enlightenment
The 18th century, often called the Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason, was significantly influenced by British empiricism—the view that experience could give rise to theoretical values. David Hume, a representative of philosophical rationalism founded on empirical grounds, awakened a current of admiration in France, initiated by Voltaire.
The Enlightenment is characterized by a blend of intellectualism and empiricism. It gave rise to the
Read MoreItalian and Spanish Literature of the 14th-16th Centuries
Petrarch and the Italian Influence
Petrarch: The Father of Humanism
Francesco Petrarca, a 14th-century Italian poet and humanist, is best known for his vernacular compositions, particularly his Canzoniere (Songbook) and Trionfi (Triumphs).
- Triumphs: An allegorical poem in six parts exploring themes like love, death, fame, and time.
- Songbook: A collection of over 350 poems, primarily love sonnets inspired by Laura de Noves, showcasing the evolution of the poet’s emotions.
Petrarch’s work had a profound
Read More15th-Century Spanish Literature: An Overview
15th-Century Spanish Literature
Poetry
Ballads
Romances, a cherished form of Spanish folk poetry, are believed to be derived from chansons de geste. Their structure (eight-syllable lines with assonance rhyme in pairs) originates from epic poems. Categories include historic, border, Breton, Carolingian, romantic, and lyrical ballads. Primitive and minstrel romances belong to the old ballads, while those addressing 16th and 17th-century themes are considered new romances.
Learned and Courtly Poetry
Popular
Read MorePrelude to the Afternoon of a Faun by Claude Debussy
Rhythm
Debussy employs a rhythmic approach that avoids a rigid alternation of strong and weak accents. Instead of eliminating the bar line, he weakens its impact through continuous changes in time signature: 9/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, 9/8. In the first part, the eighth note consistently serves as the ternary subdivision. However, the middle section (not included in the provided score) features 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. The melodic rhythm is subtle due to the varied note values, with notes and chords
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