18th and 19th Century Literature: Enlightenment and Romanticism

Posted on Oct 14, 2024 in Latin

18th Century: The Enlightenment

Context

The 18th century, a period of demographic and economic growth, was largely optimistic. This era coincided with the Enlightenment, a movement championing reason as the path to truth, with prominent figures like Diderot, D’Alembert, and Voltaire leading the charge, primarily in France. Meanwhile, the Bourbons reigned in Spain with their despotism. This century saw the arrival of the essay in Spain, a reflexive genre offering perspectives on various aspects of reality.

Key Figures

  • Feijoo: Known for works like “Erudite and Curious Letters,” Feijoo pioneered the essay in Spain. His writings aimed to educate and modernize the population.
  • Cadalso: His “Moroccan Letters” provides a unique 18th-century perspective on Spain through the eyes of a young Moroccan, an old Moroccan, and the Spaniard Nuño, offering a critique of contemporary Spain and its decline, aligning with Enlightenment ideals.

Characteristics of the Essay

  1. Employs exposition and argumentation.
  2. Presents subjective and historical reflection.
  3. Aims to persuade the reader.
  4. Emphasizes dialogic nature.
  5. Features an open structure with digressions.
  6. Utilizes standard, connotative, and expressive language.
  7. Uses general expressions (e.g., someone, anyone).
  8. Employs impersonal semantic forms.

Jovellanos: A Leading Figure of the Spanish Enlightenment

Jovellanos, born in Gijón and deceased in Puerto de Vega (Asturias), held numerous political positions and is considered a key figure of the Spanish Enlightenment. He contributed to poetry, theater, and prose essays, advocating for reformist ideas, which sometimes led to conflicts with conservatives. His writings, aimed at authorities rather than the general public, urged reforms based on reason. His works focused on themes like agriculture, Asturias, industry, and communications.

Views and Style

Jovellanos opposed the unrealistic nature of the Golden Age (17th century) and supported the three classical unities of theater (time, place, and action). He advocated against sacramental plays, believed in the didactic purpose of theater, and opposed bullfighting, favoring family-oriented festivities. His prose, while didactic, is elegant and sober, demonstrating literary quality. His simple style contrasted with the extravagance of Baroque literature. While generally clear and simple, his language occasionally becomes technical due to the subject matter. Hints of subjectivity, such as his descriptions of landscapes, foreshadow Romanticism.

Notable Works

  • “Report on Agrarian Law”: Critiques the concentration of land ownership in the hands of nobles and the Church, advocating for freedom and development.
  • “Report on Public Entertainment”
  • “In Praise of Carlos III”

19th Century: The Romantic Movement

Overview

Romanticism, a literary movement arising in the 19th century, brought a cultural revolution and a confrontation with the world. Originating in Germany and England, it reached Spain during a period of population growth and increased literacy.

Key Features

  1. Emphasis on moral and political freedom and artistic individuality.
  2. Emergence of the Titanic hero, rebellion against established laws, and Satanism (rebellion against God and the Church).
  3. Focus on sentimentality and subjective reality.
  4. Inclusion of marginal figures (e.g., pirates, beggars, executioners).
  5. Emphasis on the historical context of works and nationalism.
  6. Escapism from reality and embrace of the irrational.

Themes and Theater

Predominant themes included freedom, power, justice, the silence of God, and the mysteries of human destiny. Theater saw innovations like the division of plays into acts, mixing prose and verse, breaking the three unities, and blending tragedy and comedy. Theatrical themes included fate, revenge, suicide, power, authority, and adultery. Characters were often depicted as victims of fate and destiny, and staging held great importance.

Evolution of Romanticism in Spain

  1. Traditional Romanticism: Simple and Catholic.
  2. Progressive Romanticism: Linked to liberal ideals.
  3. Intimate Romanticism: Influenced by German Romanticism.

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer: A Key Figure of 19th-Century Romanticism

Bécquer, born in Seville, is considered the most important poet and storyteller of the 19th century. The son of a genre painter, he adopted the Flemish surname Bécquer from his paternal family. He moved to Madrid, where he collaborated with various publications and began his writing career.

Poetic Style

Bécquer’s poetry is characterized by its intimacy, brevity, apparent simplicity, and lack of artifice. It emphasizes naturalness and the expression of essence, which doesn’t imply a lack of poetic development. His main themes include freedom, power, justice, the silence of God, and the mysteries of human destiny.

Bécquer’s Rhymes

Bécquer’s Rhymes can be grouped thematically:

  1. Rhymes XI and onward: Exalt poetic creation as irrational and subjective, and portray love as ideal, ethereal, and unattainable.
  2. Rhymes XII to XXIX: Focus on love, hope, and the idealized, virtuous beloved.
  3. Rhymes XXX to LI: Depict love as a failure, with the woman as the executioner of the poet’s illusions.
  4. Rhymes LII to LXXIX: Reflect loneliness and anguish in a hostile world.

Stylistically, the Rhymes are brief and condensed, using free verse with predominantly seven-syllable and eleven-syllable lines, assonant rhyme, and an intimate, conversational tone. Despite their apparent simplicity, Bécquer’s compositions demonstrate formal rigor and careful construction. His work significantly influenced later literary movements, including Modernism, Symbolism, the Generation of ’27, and Latin American poetry.