Literature

Features

Baroque literature is characterized by experimentalism in language and research for novelty, originality and inventiveness.
Baroque writers aim at stirring up readers' wonder and astonishment so they use original concepts, extravagant images and stilted metaphors. They are not interested in conveying ideas or emotions, but in creating more and more ornate and difficult lines. The beauty of their works depends on the writers' wits and virtuosity. Amazement, magnificence, conceptism, manierism and refusal of classical principles are the basic features of Baroque literature.

'I speak of the excellent and not of the clumsy which cannot amaze!'
This is G. B. Marino's Motto in his work Marineide. In his opinion a poet must wonder the reader using all his rhetorical skills. His favorite figure of speech is the Metaphor.

Genres

• In poetry, there is a great variety of sub-genres: epic, mythological and heroic -comic poems. Poets often choose bizzare, superficial and unusual themes and create original juxtapositions and analogies. Their main themes are women, nature, seasons and even ugly elements such as louses, skulls and ruins. However poets do not hang on philosophical or moral reflections. On the contrary, they love disengagement. They exalt pleasure, voluptuousness and subtle eroticism.

• Prose is characterized by scientific, literary, political, historical and even religious treaties (Galileo Galilei's Dialogue concerning the two chief world systems: Tolomeus's and Copernicus's) or the first novels (Miguel de Cervantes's Don Chisciotte della Mancia).
• Drama is extremely rich in tragedies and comedies (Elizabethan Drama and Commedia dell'Arte). The most significant representatives in Europe are W. Shakespeare, Jean Racine, Molière, Calderón de la Barca and Federigo della Valle.
• Linguistic reflection on the use code of some words is particularly relevant. The Vocabolario della Crusca published in 1612 generated some criticism on conservation or innovation in the Italian language. 

Style

• Use of figures of speech such as hyperboles, antithesis and metaphors.

• Conceptism: use of abstract concepts/images, abundance of examples to refer to objects and use of refined, rare, ancient and obsolete vocabulary.

• Search for rare metrical forms or reinvention of traditional forms.

Theatre

It is opposite to the classical theatre and its origin is associated with boarding new artistic genres, such as opera and ballet. Drama, dancing, singing and musical instrument are linked together. The principal of Baroque theatre are imagination and illusion. Death isn't understood as suffering but rather as an inevitable extinction and it is unescapable. The character of theatre was determined primarily by the French theatre. Decorations were the most important components and actors had to uncover their extraordinary meaning. The background of stage was painted by famous painters. Gesticulations and movements of actors were also unique. The most used instruments were violin, viol, lute, guitar, harp, harpsichord and organ. The typical Baroque theatre in the Czech Republic is located in Český Krumlov.

Theatre performance from the exchange in Lithuania