20th-Century Latin American Literature: Overview & Analysis

Posted on Oct 5, 2024 in Latin

20th-Century Latin American Literature

Overview

Latin American literature generally followed Spanish trends until the late 19th century when Modernism emerged. This movement rejected Spanish influence and sought inspiration from American, French, and other sources. In the early 20th century, Modernism reached its peak with Rubén Darío.

Rubén Darío

Darío’s poetry synthesized American Modernism with European movements like Parnassianism and Symbolism. His career can be divided into two phases:

  1. Phase 1: Includes Azul and Profane Prose. This phase features a renewal in themes, language, and meter, along with dazzling sensuality and fantasy.
  2. Phase 2: Represented by Cantos de Vida y Esperanza, this phase shows more concern for human content, combining Spanish influences with political and existential themes.

Darío also wrote numerous articles and short stories.

Post-Modernism Poetry

Several poetic currents emerged after Modernism:

  1. Intimate and Mannerist Poetry: Focused on everyday life and love of the land, with early examples in César Vallejo and Pablo Neruda.
  2. Avant-Garde Poetry: Cultivated by Vicente Huidobro (Creationism) and Jorge Luis Borges. Surrealism emerged in the late 1920s in the works of Vallejo and Neruda, later continued by Octavio Paz.
  3. Pure Poetry: Began with the Generation of ’27, influenced by Paul Valéry and Juan Ramón Jiménez. Notable poets include Eduardo Carranza and Jorge Luis Borges.
  4. Negritude Poetry: Reacted against cosmopolitanism and sought inspiration in the West Indies’ mixed heritage. Nicolás Guillén (Sóngoro Cosongo) is a key figure.

Other significant poets include César Vallejo, Pablo Neruda, Nicanor Parra, and Elvio Romero.

César Vallejo

Vallejo’s poetry combined human and social themes with aesthetic innovation. His work, centered on suffering, evolved stylistically. Poemas humanos is a representative work.

Pablo Neruda

Neruda advocated for rehumanization and commitment in literature, influencing poets like Miguel Hernández. His major works include:

  1. Early Post-Modernist: Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair.
  2. Residencia en la tierra: Reflects Surrealism and a pessimistic view of humanity.
  3. Tercera residencia: Expresses political commitment and a shift towards a vitalist attitude and simpler style.
  4. Odes to Common Things: Emphasizes simplicity, vitality, and optimism.

Octavio Paz

Paz is best known for his essays, which reflect his intellectual engagement with human issues. The Bow and the Lyre is a notable work.

20th-Century Latin American Narrative

Three main stages characterize 20th-century Latin American fiction:

  1. Traditional Realism (until the 1940s): Novels addressed human and social problems within grand, natural settings. Examples include Rómulo Gallegos’ Doña Bárbara and José Eustasio Rivera’s The Vortex. Indigenous realism, exemplified by Alcides Arguedas’ Race of Bronze, focused on the exploitation of indigenous peoples.
  2. Magical Realism (1940s-1950s): This period saw the rise of storytellers who blended realism with fantastical elements. Characteristics include urban settings, existential concerns, and formal innovation. Notable novelists include:
    • Miguel Ángel Asturias: Mr. President, The Green Pope
    • Alejo Carpentier: The Lost Steps, The Kingdom of This World
    • Jorge Luis Borges: Created imaginative universes exploring metaphysical themes. Works include A Universal History of Infamy, Ficciones, The Aleph
    • Juan Rulfo: Pedro Páramo, El llano en llamas
  3. Experimental Novel (1960s-1980s): The Latin American Boom intensified Magical Realism and experimented with narrative forms, influencing the Spanish experimental novel. Prominent novelists include:
    • Ernesto Sabato: Intellectualized narratives like The Tunnel and On Heroes and Tombs
    • Julio Cortázar: Short stories, fables (Bestiario), and the novel Hopscotch. His work offers social critique and aesthetic innovation.
    • Carlos Fuentes: Critical attitude and formal renewal. Notable works include Where the Air Is Clear and A Change of Skin
    • Gabriel García Márquez: Known for One Hundred Years of Solitude, which blends Magical Realism, lyricism, social critique, humor, and tragedy. Also wrote Leaf Storm.
    • Mario Vargas Llosa: The Time of the Hero, The Green House