19th Century Spanish Literature: Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism
19th Century Spanish Literature
Costumbrismo
Ramon de Mesonero Romanos
Madrid, his hometown. Work: Scenes of Marriage.
Mariano José de Larra
Father of journalism. Works: Diligence, You Old Castilian, and Again Tomorrow.
Serafín Estébanez Calderón
Work: Scenes of Andalusia.
Romantic Novel
Influences of European novelists on our novelists: Chateaubriand, Fielding, Daniel Defoe, and Sir Walter Scott. Lord Byron, Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Alexandre Dumas, Larra, and Gil y Carrasco.
Women writers: Gertrudis
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Lope de Vega and the New Comedy
In the seventeenth century, Lope de Vega revolutionized theater with a new formula, later followed by dramatists who recognized him as a master. This formula is known as the New Comedy. Lope de Vega’s theater wasn’t solely based on classical models. For example, his play “Punishment without Revenge” is a free adaptation of Euripides’ Medea.
Several differences distinguish the New Comedy from Classical Comedy:
- Number of Events/Acts: Lope’s plays unfold over three days,
Baroque Literature: Style, Drama, and Poetry
Baroque Literature
Contrasts, Conceits, and Culteranismo
Baroque literature is marked by strong contrasts. The sonnet and romance forms reach a peak of perfection.
Two main tendencies define the Baroque style: conceptismo and culteranismo. Conceptismo, represented by Francisco de Quevedo and Baltasar Gracián, emphasizes ingenuity and wit. Culteranismo, championed by Luis de Góngora, focuses on formal beauty and elaborate language.
Conceptismo
This style reflects the Baroque aesthetic centered on
Read MoreRenaissance and Baroque Literature in Spain
The Renaissance
The Renaissance, a cultural movement during the sixteenth century, transformed European life. Key features include the recovery of classical Greek and Latin, the rebirth of classical culture, the valuation of man and the world, and the shift from theological to human culture.
Humanism, a cultural and ideological force emerging in late fourteenth-century Italy, aimed to restore classical ideals. Its two main tenets were the study of classical Greek and Latin, and the valuation of the
Read MoreMedieval & Renaissance Spanish Literature: Prose, Poetry, and Drama
Medieval Prose in Europe
Influences from the East
Medieval prose in Europe was influenced by collections of short stories of Indian origin, such as Kalila and Dimna and Sendebar.
Boccaccio’s Decameron
Giovanni Boccaccio wrote The Decameron, a collection of novellas, in Italy during the 14th century.
Alfonso X the Wise (13th Century)
In Spain, Alfonso X fostered a diverse intellectual environment at his court, where wise Christians, Arabs, and Jewish scholars gathered, forming the School of Translators
Read MoreNeoclassicism and Romanticism in Spanish Literature
1. Neoclassicism (18th Century)
1.1 Didactic Fables
Fables exemplify the dual purpose of Neoclassical literature: to be both useful and delightful. Typically written in verse, with a simple meter (e.g., eight-syllable assonant verses), they present short, humorous stories culminating in a moral lesson. Characters, often animals, embody human virtues and shortcomings. Key fabulists include Félix María Samaniego and Tomás de Iriarte, known for works like The Donkey Flutist.
1.2 Pictorial Essays
Gaspar
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