Spanish Civil War

Coordinated raisings became all over Spain the 18^th of July and within 4 days the sergeants military some of whom were under the command of Francisco Franco and Emilio Mola controlled about 1/3 part of the country. The refusal of the government to accept the serious of the situation was a decision that proved fatal. Spain was in a state of anarchy; this was blame on the communists. In September 29 Franco, the youngest ever general in Spain, was named the head of the government and by October the 1^st he was called himself the head of state. Seven days later, the capital Madrid witnessed the first as trikes in the city. The nationalist army were approaching from the northwest and southwest and by the middle of the month all towns were in their hands, power. Some soldiers were capable of many things but were undisciplined this led to many dead. The world’s eyes were on Madrid. Dolores Ivarrubi “la pasionaria” was the motivation for fighting one more time.  “Resist, resist, resist” she had said. “Fight with any weapon. It is better to die in your feet than to live in your knees”. The madrileños responded by converting the city into a fortress. For next days, Germany and Italy send bombs toward buildings. On the 18 of November both countries finally and officially recognized the Franco regime. On January 1939, Franco possessed Barcelona. Bt 1st April the war the war ended. 

EXTRA CREDIT: EASTER RISING 1916

I did a little research about this conflict and this was the idea I could understand:

One day of 1916 in Ireland, precisely in Dublin happened the commonly called “Easter Rising”. A socialist group called the "People's Army" led by James Connolly began a revolution taking advantage of the distraction of the British during the war in Europe. The objective of this revolt was to completely remove the British from Ireland. Every person who joined them was equipped with the best German’s weapons.

I also read a poem from William Butler Yeats (Irish poet who was awarded with a Nobel prize) named as “Easter 1916”.  As I previously mentioned before I’m not really into poetry so I had to read it like ten times before understanding it.  For me, the first paragraph was the most interesting of all. I think the author is explaining how he dealt in the war, what he did and how he felt. The poem says: All changed, “changed utterly” which means everything completely changed, one day something was right and the other things were upside-down. It also says: “A terrible beauty is born.”, honestly I don’t get the part that says beauty. Or maybe it is the contrary; I’m literally without an idea. In the second paragraph Butler mentions 3 persons: one woman, a man who owns a school and a drunken man. I suspect he knew them pretty well even though he said they were all a dream. What was really catchy to me was this phrase: We know their dream; enough to know they dreamed.

Here it is the poem for you to read it:

 I have met them at close of day
Coming with vivid faces
From counter or desk among grey
Eighteenth-century houses.
I have passed with a nod of the head
Or polite meaningless words,
Or have lingered awhile and said
Polite meaningless words,
And thought before I had done
Of a mocking tale or a gibe
To please a companion
Around the fire at the club,
Being certain that they and I
But lived where motley is worn:
All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

That woman's days were spent
In ignorant good-will,
Her nights in argument
Until her voice grew shrill.
What voice more sweet than hers
When, young and beautiful,
She rode to harriers?
This man had kept a school
And rode our winged horse;
This other his helper and friend
Was coming into his force;
He might have won fame in the end,
So sensitive his nature seemed,
So daring and sweet his thought.
This other man I had dreamed
A drunken, vainglorious lout.
He had done most bitter wrong
To some who are near my heart,
Yet I number him in the song;
He, too, has resigned his part
In the casual comedy;
He, too, has been changed in his turn,
Transformed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

Hearts with one purpose alone
Through summer and winter seem
Enchanted to a stone
To trouble the living stream.
The horse that comes from the road.
The rider, the birds that range
From cloud to tumbling cloud,
Minute by minute they change;
A shadow of cloud on the stream
Changes minute by minute;
A horse-hoof slides on the brim,
And a horse plashes within it;
The long-legged moor-hens dive,
And hens to moor-cocks call;
Minute by minute they live:
The stone's in the midst of all.

Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.
O when may it suffice?
That is Heaven's part, our part
To murmur name upon name,
As a mother names her child
When sleep at last has come
On limbs that had run wild.
What is it but nightfall?
No, no, not night but death;
Was it needless death after all?
For England may keep faith
For all that is done and said.
We know their dream; enough
To know they dreamed and are dead;
And what if excess of love
Bewildered them till they died?
I write it out in a verse -
MacDonagh and MacBride
And Connolly and Pearse
Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

LOVE LETTER

My Dear,

I would like to notify you how England has been since you left months ago.  Days are getting rough here since the beginning of the war. I myself, had to search for a job in a textile factory so I could be able to bring the daily bread to my parents and brothers.  As you can have and idea, unemployment has increased dramatically for man, that is the reason of why I am working.

As I previously mentioned things are complicated and you have the right to know that Papa decided that I would marry a bourgeois economically established who will afford my entire family for the rest of my life. The best for both of us is to leave things as they are.  Even though, I will never forget you and every day I will be missing you. Believe me, this is harder for me but I beg that you can forgive me.  I will soon forget the color of your eyes and you will forget mine.

Always yours,

María

MODERNISM IN ARTS

I just read some poems that mostly are form the U.S and Europe. I definitely have to say that I had a rough time reading them; not just because I’m not into that poetry that much but because some were really difficult to understand. I literally had to find the meaning of every word so the poem could make sense to me. Seriously I know just like one or two words from Emily Dickinson’s poem. Although I disliked ones I liked others. My favorite was this one:

I have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox

and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold

The poem is written literally with no metaphor or stuff like that. How funny it is that you can find really complex poems and poems like this one, very simple and understandable. Well, that’s my idea of the poem shown upside. Every one shows their feeling in a different way.

On the other hand, the music is incredible! I really love all the melodies. When I was a little girl my mom used to put me asleep with instrumental music like these ones. It was like a flashback from my infancy, which I liked. It is amazing how just a simple movement of an instrument makes you feel big emotions. It all depends on your attitude. I mean I could have hated the song if I were angry or sad. Even though I liked almost every one, there is an exception with 4^th of July from Charles Ives. I got scare and had to put it off. But in generally I feel pleasant with the music.

Since I love drawing I loved the paintings too. I like how every person expresses in his or her own unique form. I adore all the colors and the people drawn. I’m still confused in why a painting can be so expensive if it is just a bunch of lines without something clearly visible. 

UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS

Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series of the 70s but really base on the early 1900s and late 1800s. By Upstairs we understand that they mean to the masters and in consequence Downstairs refers to the servents. Upstairs, Downstairs shows important historical moments that where set in that time.

 

 This episode named “Guest of Honour” is about how the family and the servants are preparing for the arrival of the King. Edward VII became king on the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. Although he wasn´t a young man he became the head of England. This King is known for his 5-time-meals per day, no wonder why the hurry with the food. Everything is perfect; the food, decoration, clothes. They all are just waiting for the Guest of Honour.

I could notice in a big amount the value of respect. You literally can see how every one is threaten with so much respect. Even the servants! I thought they were like inferiors or animals for their bosses. But, as we can see in this episode I was wrong. Some TV series have made of us fools because they don’t show how things really happened.  

I was stunned with the Lady´s outfits! Love her dresses and necklaces. And as Rose Buck would say: God Bless my Soul!