20th Century Latin American Literature: A Literary Overview
20th Century Latin American Literature
Historical Context
Central and South America, once united under Spanish rule, gained independence throughout the 19th century. In 1898, the last Spanish colonies (Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines) were lost. The 20th century saw many young Latin American nations grapple with authoritarian and dictatorial regimes, revolutions, and counter-revolutions. This political instability often hindered economic growth.
Culture and Society
Common themes emerged in 20th-century Latin American literature, reflecting the social circumstances of the time. Military dictatorships, poverty, and social inequalities were prominent issues explored by authors committed to portraying the realities around them. This commitment fueled a vibrant and hopeful literary scene.
Following the Spanish Civil War, several Latin American countries offered refuge to Spaniards exiled for political reasons. These exiles contributed significantly to the development of universities and literary studies, notably through the influence of the revered poet Juan Ramón Jiménez.
Literary Panorama
Latin American literature encompasses the works of 19 nations. Despite diverse national contexts, this literature is united by a shared language (Spanish) and a common literary tradition rooted in Spanish literature, alongside indigenous and Creole influences unique to each country. Until their independence, the literature of the colonies coexisted with that of Spain. The late 19th-century Modernist movement, spearheaded by figures like Rubén Darío, demonstrated a literary vitality that radiated its influence internationally.
In the 20th century, Latin American literature affirmed its independence and achieved global recognition. From the 1950s onwards, Latin American narrative significantly influenced European authors.
Latin American Poetry: The Simple
Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957), Alfonsina Storni (1892-1938), and Juana de Ibarbourou (1895-1979) exemplify a simpler style in Latin American poetry.
The Avant-Garde in Latin American Poetry
Vicente Huidobro’s Creationism championed creative impulse and the joy of invention. Ultraism, introduced to Spain by Jorge Luis Borges, engaged with modern life, incorporating themes like machines and sports, and employed innovations like calligrams, influenced by the French poet Apollinaire. Surrealism in Latin America saw the influence of César Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, and Octavio Paz. These avant-garde movements sought to rehumanize poetry by addressing human concerns.
César Vallejo
Marked by poverty and adversity, César Vallejo’s early work, The Black Heralds (1918), reflected Modernist influences. In Trilce (1922), he broke with traditional forms, creating neologisms and pioneering a new poetic language. Spain, Take this Chalice from Me and Human Poems were published posthumously.
Pablo Neruda
The Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) gained recognition with Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair (1924), exploring themes of love, passion, and drama. Surrealist influences are evident in Residence on Earth (1933). His work became increasingly political, particularly after the Spanish Civil War, with works like Spain in the Heart (part of Third Residence) and Canto General (1950).
The Post-Avant-Garde: Octavio Paz
Octavio Paz’s travels and exposure to international poetry and thought shaped his work, including The Bow and the Lyre (1949).
The Latin American Novel in the 20th Century
The first three decades of the 20th century saw a rise in realistic novels depicting grand and wild landscapes. From the 1940s, new narrative techniques like internal monologue and temporal shifts broke with realism, giving rise to trends like magical realism, which blended reality and fantasy. Key works include Miguel Ángel Asturias’s Mr. President, Alejo Carpentier’s The Kingdom of this World, and Juan Rulfo’s Pedro Páramo.
The 1960s marked the Latin American Boom, with novelists building on earlier innovations and enriching them with new resources. Magical realism remained a prominent characteristic. Notable works include Carlos Fuentes’s The Death of Artemio Cruz (1962), Julio Cortázar’s Hopscotch (1963), Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Time of the Hero (1962), and Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude (1967).
The post-Boom period saw continued innovation with works like Alfredo Bryce Echenique’s A World for Julius, Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits, Roberto Bolaño’s 2666, and Ángeles Mastretta’s Mexican Bolero.
The Tyrant in Latin American Literature
The figure of the tyrant is central to many Latin American novels, including Miguel Ángel Asturias’s Mr. President, Gabriel García Márquez’s The Autumn of the Patriarch, and Mario Vargas Llosa’s The Feast of the Goat.
The Short Story
Horacio Quiroga’s “The Feather Pillow” and his “Decalogue” offered guidance for writing short stories. Other notable works include Jorge Luis Borges’s “The Aleph,” Julio Cortázar’s “Axolotl,” and Juan Rulfo’s “Luvina”.