Modernism and the Generation of ’98: Art and Philosophy
Modernism: An Aesthetic Renewal
Modernism is an aesthetic renewal movement that gathers and synthesizes vital, innovative attitudes and artistic philosophies of the late 19th century. It resulted from a crisis of bourgeois consciousness, reacting against the materialism and utilitarian spirit of the time.
Its ideal is to express beauty with a new sensitivity, using a new, precious, and groundbreaking language that departs from realism. In France, it stems from two movements:
- Parnassianism: Worships
Gonzalo de Berceo and the Archpriest of Hita: Works
Gonzalo de Berceo
Gonzalo de Berceo (1196-1265) is the first Spanish poet with a known name. He was born in Berceo (La Rioja) and was a cleric linked to the monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla.
His works have religious, educational, and moral themes and are based on Latin sources, as he acknowledges.
- His work: He wrote several lives of saints, such as Santo Domingo de Silos, San Millán, and Santa Oria, but his most important work is The Miracles of Our Lady.
- His style: He is a conscious author who
Catalan Poets: Francesc Vicent Garcia to Segarra
Francesc Vicent Garcia
This poem was written by Francesc Vicent Garcia, a Baroque author of the 16th-17th century. He lived in the modern era, a time greatly affected by historical events such as wars and epidemics. Born in Tortosa, he died in Vallfogona. His poetry was varied and was released a few years after his death.
In terms of style, the Baroque movement had a rapid spread throughout Europe. It is characterized by opposition to the preceding Renaissance movement; the values it offered were
Read MoreModernist Literature: A Deep Dive into its Characteristics
Modernist Literature
Modernist literature is a sub-genre of Modernism, a predominantly European movement beginning in the early 20th century that was characterized by a self-conscious break with traditional aesthetic forms. Representing the radical shift in cultural sensibilities surrounding World War I, modernist literature struggled with the new realm of subject matter brought about by an increasingly industrialized and globalized world. In its earliest incarnations, modernism fostered a utopian
Read MoreKey Events in Tudor and Stuart History: Mary I, Kirk, and Parliament
Mary I and the Throne
Mary I, the Catholic daughter of Catherine of Aragón, became queen when Edward VI, aged sixteen, died in 1553. A group of nobles tried to put Lady Jane Grey, a Protestant, on the throne. But Mary succeeded in entering London and took control of the kingdom. She was supported by the ordinary people, who were angered by the greed of the Protestant nobles. However, Mary was unwise and unbending in her policy and her beliefs. Mary, for political, religious, and family reasons,
Read MoreRenaissance Humanism and Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism defends the beauty of natural things as a reflection of divinity (idealization of the feeling of love). Erasmus advocated for an intimate religiosity focused on the purity of morals.
Admiration for the Classics
Italian city-states, longing to restore classical ideals, made Greek and Latin cultures a benchmark for study. Therefore, imitation of classical authors was considered more prestigious than originality. This imitation and admiration, and the defense of Latin, coexisted
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