This is a radical reexamination of the regional novel, which plays a central part in the development of Latin American fiction in the first half of the twentieth century. Professor Alonso presents his argument through challenging readings of three works that are universally acknowledged as archetypes of the autochthonous modality: Rivera's La voragine, Gallegos' Dona Barbara, and Guiraldes' Don Segundo Sombra. He proposes a new view of the autochthonous as a discourse rather than a referent, this discourse being organized by the three intertwined categories of language, geography, and work.

Frederick de Armas argues in this work that throughout his literary career, Cervantes was engaged in a conversation with the classical authors of Greece and Rome, especially through the interpretations of antiquity presented by the artist Raphael. Rather than looking at Cervantes' texts in relation to other literary works, this book demonstrates how Cervantes' trip to Italy and his observation of Italian Renaissance art--particularly the works of Raphael at the Vatican--led him to create new images and structures in his works.

Miguel Angel Asturias (1899-1974) is one of the notable literary figures in Latin America who in the 1920s contrived both to explore and define Latin literature within the mainstream of Western history. He managed to be poetic, political and mythological at the same time, and with a degree of synthesis rarely achieved then or since. As is the case with many Latin American writers, his work is inextricably linked with politics, and he lived in exile for many years. He was influenced by Indian mythology, fantasy and Surrealism and was the first Latin American novelist to understand the...

In Journalism and the Development of Spanish American Narrative, Anibal Gonzalez explores the impact of journalism and journalistic rhetoric on the development of Spanish American narrative, from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to the testimonial and documentary novels of contemporary authors such as Miguel Barnet and Elena Poniatowska. Gonzalez examines selected works from the Spanish American narrative tradition that exemplify moments in the history of the relationship between literature and journalism. He argues that Spanish American narrative has sought to work in...

The Literature of Misogyny in Medieval Spain examines the medical underpinnings of two major misogynist works from the 15th-century Iberian: Alonso de Martinez's Arcipreste de Talavera and Jacme Roig's Spill. Michael Solomon argues that these works gain their persuasive force by linking concerns over health and illness with men's behavior toward women. Solomon shows how the demonization of women in medieval society was more than vaguely cultural; it was a legitimate aspect of the healing arts, considered vital to the well-being of men.