Modernist Narrative and Catalan Literature Evolution
Modernist Narrative
Modernist authors crafted expressive prose, rich in poetic and linguistic devices. Key figures include:
- Santiago Rusiñol: Organized the Cau Ferrat celebrations, a modernist festival in Sitges (1892).
- Total Art: The concept that an artist should master various disciplines (writing, painting, music, etc.).
- Advance Magazine: A central publication for Modernist cohesion.
- Raimon Casellas (1855-1910): Art critic and theorist for La Vanguardia. His work, The Wild Assistant (1901), depicts
Meditations on Didactic Literature: XVI, XVII, and XVIII Centuries
Meditations on the XVI, XVII, and XVIII Centuries
The Didactic Genre
The didactic is a literary genre that presents scientific truths, doctrines, or knowledge in order to teach or explain them simply.
Dialogue or Philosophical Doctrine
The dialogue, cultivated by classical Greek philosophers like Plato and Socrates, and the Latin writer Cicero, is a frequently used didactic subgenre. It mimics a conversation between several characters, one of whom exposes their thesis and responds to others. This subgenre
Read MoreSpain’s Generation of ’98: Literary Renewal and Crisis
Generation of ’98
The Generation of ’98 is a literary trend from the late nineteenth century, created by a group of authors who attempted to renew literature in Spain. They addressed two fundamental issues: the decline of Spain (manifested by the loss of the colonial empire: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, and the defeat by the U.S. in 1898) and existential angst.
Although there has been much debate about the appropriateness of this name (as writers like Baroja did not accept their inclusion)
Read MoreModern Poetry’s Genesis: Baudelaire to Symbolism
Late 19th Century Aesthetic Currents
In the late nineteenth century, different artistic movements emerged (Parnassianism, Symbolism, and Decadence) that shared some common characteristics:
- Opposition to Realism, positivism, and bourgeois society.
- Defense of creative freedom and a desire for rebellion.
- A non-utilitarian conception of art that seeks beauty in itself (“art for art’s sake”).
Parnassianism: Impersonal Perfection
This movement consisted of a group of French poets gathered around the writer
Read MoreRomantic Themes in Wuthering Heights and Frankenstein
Key Romantic Themes in Wuthering Heights
Nature & the Sublime: The untamed Yorkshire moors reflect the characters’ turbulent emotions, particularly Heathcliff’s.
Emotion & Passion: Characters are driven by intense, destructive emotions, especially the passionate love between Catherine & Heathcliff.
Individualism & Isolation: Heathcliff’s outsider status and isolation drive the plot and atmosphere.
Supernatural Elements: Gothic elements like ghosts and eerie occurrences contribute to
Read MoreShakespeare and Elizabethan Era: Life, Plays, Language
Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Era
Queen Elizabeth I reigned during Shakespeare’s lifetime. She enjoyed plays, dances, and other forms of entertainment. She was particularly fond of Shakespeare’s plays. In some of his plays, Shakespeare cleverly included passages referencing the Queen and events that occurred during their time.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Summary
- In Athens, Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, who is her parents’ choice, and elopes to the woods with Lysander.
- Helena, aware of the plan