20th-Century Literature: Eliot, Yeats, Owen, Lawrence, Shaw
T.S. Eliot: A Towering Figure in Literature
Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) is a towering figure in 20th-century literature. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he later became a British subject. Eliot’s impact extended beyond poetry, encompassing literary criticism, drama, and philosophy. His works, characterized by their modernist sensibilities, explored themes of alienation, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
“Preludes”: An Urban Lament
“Preludes,” a series of five
Read MoreArt Nouveau: Definition, Origins, and Subject Matter
Art Nouveau
1.1. Definition
The term “modernism” encompasses various European and American trends that emerged in the late 19th century.
A. Nonconformist
B. Desire for Renewal
C. Opposition to Current Artistic Trends
(Realism and Naturalism). Literary critics have varying perspectives on this movement:
A. Modernism as a literary movement between 1855 and 1915, defined by aestheticism and escapism.
B. Modernism as not just a literary movement, but an era and attitude with diverse manifestations, some marked
Read MoreAnalysis of Key Literary Works: Chaucer to Spenser
1. The Wife of Bath’s Tale
Genre: Fictional Autobiography, Confession, or Apologia
The prologue might be called a fictional autobiography, a confession, or an apologia (L., defense). Autobiography – the Wife of Bath recites her autobiography, announcing in her very first word that “experience” will be her guide. Yet, despite her claim that experience is her sole authority, the Wife of Bath apparently feels the need to establish her authority in a more scholarly way. She imitates the ways of
Read MoreCatalan Literature: From Table Manners to Realism
Table Manners
Table manners, also known as “costumbrismo”, originated from periodical press publications. This style often includes a gender facet, recreated as part of a collective identity, influencing literary life. Notable figures like Robert are mentioned, employing a nostalgic approach with a critical intent. These practices are central to costumbrismo, contrasting with the depiction of the countryside. Custom paintings in the last decades of the 19th century were eventually accepted by the
Read MoreNothing Less Than a Whole Man: Analysis and Reflections
Summary
Nothing Less Than a Whole Man, published in 1920, is part of the work entitled Three Exemplary Novels and a Prologue, which could arguably be called “four novels,” as the prologue functions as another one. This trilogy of novels includes Two Mothers, The Marquis de Lumbría, and Nothing Less Than a Whole Man, all of which share parallels in both content and characters.
In this story, circumstances unfold in a very artificial way, so that the “will to be” of the protagonist, Alexander, becomes
Read MoreCatalan Literature: From the 16th to the 20th Century
Catalan Literature: 16th to 20th Century
16th Century: Decline
- Causes: Spanish nobility and remoteness of the court, the ‘DOR’ literature of the Spanish century.
- Consequences:
- Valencian revolt
- War of the Reapers
- Treaty of the Pyrenees
The printing press favored Castilian. Humanism: the measure of all things.
- Poetry Authors: Peter Seraph (Barcelona), John Timoneda (Barcelona), Christopher Despig (Valencia)
17th Century: Baroque Influence
Copy of Spanish Baroque literature.
- Poetry Authors: Rector Vallfogona