Spanish Life & Culture Belles-letres in the Golden Age

Spanish Life and Culture Belles-letres in the Golden Age

Question 1 : Briefly explain which of the literary styles and authors mentioned during this time reflect the reality of Spain and which of them reflects unreality and an idealized world . Mention some works on those styles

One of the first figures in the Golden Age of Spanish Literature (1600s-1700s ) was Miguel de Cervantes , the author of the novel , The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of la Mancha . This is a novel which depicted the reality in Spain in the point of view of an aging

man . This was seen as he travelled , pretending to be a chivalric figure out to protect the defenseless from the cruelties of his world

Another poet emerged , Luis de Gongora y Argote , who gives his ideas on the society through his unique form of writing . This unusual writing style was known as gongorism or culturanism , as it captures the essence of Spain 's culture through forms , words , and even symbolisms . Some books by Gongora are Fabula de Polifemo y Galatea , and his unfinished work entitled Solidades

Another Spanish literary artist that contributed to the Golden Age was Francisco Gomez de Quevedo y Villegas . He is very idealistic that he came up with works about the ideal society and not the reality . His concept includes the acceptance of the human vice . His works also featured black humor and caricatures of the society

Question 2 : Explain why Don Quixote cannot be considered just a Chivalry novel like any other Chivalry novel

Don Quixote is not the typical chivalry novel because it is not just about saving a captive or playing a hero against a group of villains wishing to spread havoc in a certain area . The story Don Quixote is set in a time where chivalry is almost dead , but because of mental problems he thought that he was living in a dream . Because of this , Don Quixote 's adventures and misadventures became comparisons of the modern life and the life ruled by chivalry . It criticized the society which Don Quixote lives in and the society he is just imagining ADDIN EN .CITE MSN Encarta200711 112MSN Encarta ,Spanish Literature2008February 152007http /encarta .msn .com /encyclopedia_9_5 /Spanish_Literature .html (MSN Encarta , 2007

Question 3 : Explain in your own words this cite : Lope reflected his age . Do you agree with this statement ? Explain why

The citation meant that Lope , as a literary figure reflected what was happening around his society . Lope wrote what was noticeable in the world he lives in , including the problems that is being experienced by the people . He served as a mirror of the society , of the age he is in Lope also touched about Spanish history , which he used as grounding on some of his works . As a writer , Lope can be classified as a patriotic and nationalistic , where most of his subjects were the prominent figures of the society

Question 5 : What were the usual characters in his dramas

Lope 's usual characters in his dramas were...