20th Century: A Cultural Overview
Socioeconomic Sphere
Capitalism consolidated as the prevailing economic system, with growing inequality between social classes. The 1917 Russian Revolution laid the groundwork for a new communist system. The United States rose as a leading world power.
Scientific and Technical Matters
Technical advances were applied across all fields, especially media. Communication reached a global scale.
Political Sphere
Two World Wars ravaged Europe, dividing it into communist and capitalist blocs. Capitalism and democracy became the dominant political systems in the capitalist world.
Literary Context
Twentieth-century literature reflects a crisis of values and the individual’s struggle to adapt to society.
Experimental Literature
Poetry underwent a revolution in form. Narrative lost linear continuity; time became non-linear; the narrative perspective broadened to include the narrator and collective interior monologue, representing the flow of thoughts; the hero became an anti-hero.
Existential Literature
Existential literature questioned the meaning of human existence, exploring the absurdity and chaos of the world and the individual’s struggle for survival. A lack of values led to pessimism and disorientation.
Social Literature
Social literature was based on the idea that artists and intellectuals should strive to improve the world. Writers took an active role in fighting for freedom, social justice, and peace, viewing literature as a means of protest.
Avant-Garde Movements
Avant-garde movements emerged during and before World War I. Examples include Futurism, which celebrated progress and freedom; Cubism, which manifested in calligrams; Dadaism, which rejected art and culture; and Surrealism, which drew upon psychoanalytic theories.
Guillaume Apollinaire
A leading figure in the French avant-garde, Apollinaire’s work reflects the era’s crisis, breaking with tradition and seeking new forms of artistic expression. Associated with Cubism and Surrealism, he published Calligrammes in 1918 and became a significant influence on contemporary poetry.
Konstandinos Cavafy
Cavafy’s poems express a pessimistic view of life, drawing on classical literature and art to convey the transience of life and love. His poem, “Ithaka,” is a notable example.
Catalan Literature and Theater
Joan Salvat-Papasseit
A self-taught poet, Salvat-Papasseit was a major representative of the Catalan avant-garde. Initially writing in a modernist style, he incorporated elements of Cubism and Futurism into his work (Poems, Hertz and waves, Seagulls and port irradiator). Later, he moved towards a more personal and intimate style.
The Futurists
The Futurists aimed to destroy syntax and liberate words.
The Cubists
The Cubists popularized the calligram.
The Dadaists
The Dadaists created inconsistent texts, driven by chance and spontaneity.
Josep Vicenç Foix
Foix (1893-1987), a poet and essayist, was a key figure in Catalan literature. He combined avant-garde techniques, particularly Surrealism, with classical traditions. His works include Sun and mourning, Omegas, Where I left the keys, and Journal 1918.
Theater in the 1930s
The 1930s saw bourgeois comedy dominate the Catalan stage, exemplified by Carlos Soldevila. Alongside this commercial theater, however, innovative works emerged that critiqued or defended bourgeois morality and revolutionary ideals. Josep Maria de Sagarra was a leading playwright.
Josep Maria de Sagarra
Sagarra (1894-1961), from an aristocratic family, was a prolific writer of poetry, fiction, and drama. His play, Marina Coffee (1933), is particularly significant.
Cultural Field in Catalonia
Catalonia’s autonomous government promoted standardization in politics and culture. Catalan became the official language of administration and education, which became free and compulsory in Catalan. The publishing industry flourished, with new newspapers and magazines emerging.
Carles Riba
Riba (1893-1959) was a central figure in 20th-century Catalan intellectual and political life. A poet, translator, critic, and teacher, he remained committed to his principles despite political adversity. His poetic style evolved from post-Symbolism to pure poetry, characterized by formal perfection. His major works include First book of rooms, Second book of rooms, and Elegies and Wild Heart.