Romanticism in 19th Century European Literature
The Romance
Romantic Ideology
The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries saw substantial political and social changes, such as the French Revolution and the independence of American colonies. This was a time of political upheaval, as the struggle for bourgeois revolution and liberalism began to succeed. This era emphasized individualism and freedom (economic, political, religious, news, etc.) against the powers of state or church. It did not accept the existence of absolute truths, valid for
Read MoreSpanish Baroque Literature: A Deep Dive into 17th-Century Culture
History and Society (17th Century)
The 17th century in Spain was checked by political and social decline. The monarchy’s era of absolute luxury coexisted with widespread poverty and hunger, while old social and religious prejudices were revitalized. It was a period of impoverishment.
Culture
Culture during the Baroque era was bright, varied, and elaborate. It reflected a deep pessimism, insecurity, uneasiness, and fear stemming from the social crisis. It accentuated the departure from the humanist
Read MoreSpanish Baroque Theater: A Golden Age of Drama
1. The National Comedy
In the 17th century, the national comedy, also known as the new comedy, was consolidated. It was created by Lope de Vega and further developed by Calderon de la Barca, among others. It was performed in corrales (courtyard theaters), which attracted a diverse audience.
1.1. Main Features of the National Comedy
Mixture of Tragedy and Comedy: Spanish playwrights did not adhere to the classical unities of time and place. However, they generally respected the unity of action (two
Read MoreThe Spanish Golden Age of Theater: A Comprehensive Guide
1. The National Comedy
In the 17th century, a new form of comedy, known as the national comedy, emerged in Spain. It was pioneered by Lope de Vega and further developed by Calderon de la Barca, among others. This new form of theater was performed in open-air courtyards called corrales, attracting a diverse audience.
1.1. Main Features of the National Comedy
- Mixture of Tragedy and Comedy: Unlike classical drama, the national comedy blended elements of tragedy and comedy.
- Dramatic Unities: Spanish playwrights
Spanish Theater until the Civil War
The Spanish Theater Until the Civil War
The Bourgeois Audience and Theatrical Trends
Prior to 1936, the direction of Spanish theater was heavily influenced by the tastes of a bourgeois audience seeking entertainment. Two main trends emerged:
- Commercially successful theater: This trend aimed to satisfy public demand with comedies, melodramas, and traditional dramatic forms, avoiding ideological themes.
- Renovating theater: This trend challenged the prevailing tastes by renewing forms and addressing contemporary
Spanish Theater Before the Civil War: From Bourgeois Tastes to Avant-Garde
The Theater Until the Civil War
The tastes of a bourgeois audience who came to the theater in search of diversion determined the direction of the theater prior to 1936. There are two main trends:
- A commercially successful theater, designed to meet public demand: a drama of manners, comic or melodramatic that shuns the ideological and continues with traditional dramatic forms.
- Renovating the theater, running counter to the tastes of the time, renewing the forms and issues, but had to wait many years