Exercises on the Spanish Golden Century

The so-called “Spanish Golden Century”, spanning from the 1550s to the 1650s, is known for being a time of great Hispanic cultural effervescence in areas such as the visual arts, theater, poetry, etc. One of the factors that made this effervescence possible was:

a) the political power acquired by the Spanish Empire by allying itself with the Muslims of Cordoba.

b) the political power acquired by the Spanish Empire after the Reconquest Wars.

c) the political power acquired by the Spanish Empire by articulating with Dutch Protestants.

d) the discovery of the Asian continent by Amerigo Vespucci.

e) the discovery of the African continent by Christopher Columbus.

The great expositor of the Spanish language, in the field of prose, during the period of the “Golden Century” was:

a) Luís de Camões

b) Filipe II

c) Quevedo

d) Torquemada

e) Miguel de Cervantes

The “Spanish Golden Century” was characterized, like Elizabethan England, by the great diffusion of dramatic art (theater). Among the main exhibitors of this art in Spain, we can mention:

a) Calderón de La Barca and Lope de Vega

b) Shakespeare and Gongora

c) Calderón de La Barca and Samuel Becktt

d) Samuel Arthaud and Quevedo

e) Albert Camus and Lope de Vega

In addition to fiction, theater and poetry, religious literature was one of the great forms of expression of the Spanish language during the “Golden Century”. Some of the great mystical saints, who also became great writers, were:

a) Saint Jerome and Saint Ignatius of Loyola

b) Saint Louis and Saint Athanasius

c) Saint John of the Cross and Saint Afonso Maria de Ligório

d) Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross

e) Saint Teresa Benedita da Cruz and Saint Teresa of Avila

Letter B

The Wars of Reconquest against the Moors - Muslims who had occupied the central and southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula -, carried out at the end of the 15th century, guaranteed the Spanish Catholic kings the possibility of building a unity political and territorial. This was of fundamental importance for the strengthening of the Spanish State and the promotion of overseas navigations and, equally, the cultural activities of the “Golden Century”.

Letter E

Miguel de Cervantes is considered by many experts to be the creator of the modern romance genre. His work “Don Quixote”, published between 1605 and 1615, is one of the most important of all times and marked the period of the “Spanish Golden Century”.

Letter A

Calderón de La Barca and Lope de Vega are among the greatest playwrights of all time. His works, as well as the novel “Don Quixote”, by Miguel de Cervantes, contributed to the affirmation and dissemination of the Spanish language.

Letter D

St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross, both of the Discalced Carmelites, were Catholic mystical saints in Spain. His works, such as “Moradas do Castelo Interior”, by Santa Teresa, and “Noite Escura”, by São João, are among the most beautiful ever written in Spanish.