Unit 4 Overview: La literatura romántica, realista y naturalista

4 min read•march 15, 2023

Sylvia Rodriguez

AP Spanish Literature 💃🏽

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Unit 4 of AP Spanish Literature focuses on the Romantic, Realist, and Naturalist literary movements of the 19th century. This period was marked by a shift away from the idealized world of Romanticism and towards a more realistic depiction of life and society.

Required Works

“En una tempestad” – José María Heredia
Rima LIII, "Volverán las oscuras golondrinas” – Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
“Las medias rojas” – Emilia Pardo Bazán

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Overview of Unit 4 AP Spanish Literature:

Literary Movements:

Romanticism: A literary movement that emphasized emotions, imagination, and nature. Famous authors include José María Heredia and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
Realism: A literary movement that focused on the realistic depiction of everyday life and society. Famous authors include Emilia Pardo Bazán and Benito Pérez Galdós.
Naturalism: A literary movement that emphasized the role of environment and heredity in shaping human behavior. Famous authors include Vicente Blasco Ibáñez and Emilia Pardo Bazán.

Romanticism was a literary and artistic movement that originated in Europe in the late 18th century and spread throughout the world during the 19th century. The Romantic poets and writers sought to create a new kind of literature that was characterized by intense emotion, imagination, and a fascination with the natural world. They rejected the strict rules and conventions of traditional literature and instead focused on personal expression and individual experience. Romanticism in literature often celebrated the beauty of nature and the power of the human spirit.

Some of the most famous Romantic authors include José María Heredia and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. Heredia was a Cuban poet who wrote about the beauty of nature, the struggle for individual freedom, and the importance of human emotion. His poem "En una tempestad" is a powerful depiction of the forces of nature and the fear of death. Bécquer was a Spanish poet who is known for his lyricism and his portrayal of intense human emotions. His poem "Rima LIII, Volverán las oscuras golondrinas" expresses the speaker's longing for a lost love and the beauty of memories.

Realism, on the other hand, emerged as a reaction to Romanticism in the mid-19th century. Realist writers sought to depict everyday life and society in a realistic and unromanticized way. They aimed to show the world as it really was, with all its complexities, contradictions, and flaws. Realist literature often tackled social issues such as poverty, inequality, and injustice, and it sought to expose the realities of modern life.

Some of the most famous Realist authors include Emilia Pardo Bazán and Benito Pérez Galdós. Pardo Bazán was a Spanish author who is known for her realistic portrayal of rural life and the limits of individual freedom. Her short story "Las medias rojas" is a powerful critique of the oppressive social norms that restrict women's opportunities and limit their agency. Pérez Galdós, on the other hand, is known for his vivid depictions of everyday life and his exploration of social issues such as poverty, inequality, and political corruption.

Finally, Naturalism was a literary movement that emerged in the late 19th century and emphasized the role of environment and heredity in shaping human behavior. Naturalist writers sought to depict the world in a scientific and objective way, and they often used scientific theories to explain human behavior. Naturalism in literature often portrayed characters who were driven by their environment and their innate biological traits, rather than by their own free will.

Themes:

Love and passion
Social injustice and inequality
The struggle for individual identity and freedom
The role of environment and heredity in shaping human behavior
The search for truth and authenticity

Literary devices:

Imagery: The use of vivid descriptions to create a powerful image in the reader's mind.
Symbolism: The use of objects or ideas to represent something else.
Irony: The use of language that is opposite to its literal meaning, often to create humor or to criticize social issues.

In addition to the literary movements discussed above, there are also several literary techniques that are commonly used in Romantic, Realist, and Naturalist literature.

Imagery is a technique that involves using vivid and descriptive language to create a powerful image in the reader's mind. This can be used to create a sensory experience for the reader and to help them better understand and connect with the characters and settings in the story. In Romantic literature, imagery is often used to depict the beauty and power of nature, while in Realist literature, imagery is often used to create a realistic and detailed portrayal of everyday life.

Symbolism is another technique that involves using objects, ideas, or characters to represent something else. This can be used to convey deeper meanings and themes in the story and to help the reader better understand the author's intentions. In Romantic literature, symbolism is often used to represent ideas such as love, freedom, and nature, while in Realist and Naturalist literature, symbolism is often used to represent social issues and political realities.

Irony is a technique that involves using language in a way that is opposite to its literal meaning, often to create humor or to criticize social issues. Irony can be used to expose contradictions and hypocrisies in society, and to challenge readers to think critically about the world around them. In Realist and Naturalist literature, irony is often used to critique the social and political realities of the time, while in Romantic literature, irony is often used to create a sense of tension and uncertainty.

Key works:

"En una tempestad" by José María Heredia: A romantic poem that describes the power of nature and the fear of death.
"Rima LIII, Volverán las oscuras golondrinas" by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer: A romantic poem that expresses the speaker's longing for a lost love.
"Las medias rojas" by Emilia Pardo Bazán: A realist short story that portrays the harsh reality of rural life and the limits of individual freedom.

Browse Study Guides By Unit

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🖌Unit 3 – El siglo XVII

🎨Unit 4 – La literatura romántica, realista y naturalista

4.0Unit 4 Overview: La literatura romántica, realista y naturalista

4.1 “En una tempestad” – José María Heredia

4.2Rima LIII, "Volverán las oscuras golondrinas” – Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer

4.3 “Las medias rojas” – Emilia Pardo Bazán

🤺Unit 5 – La Generación del 98 y el Modernismo

🎭Unit 6 – Teatro y poesía del siglo XX

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