20th Century Spanish Literature
1. The Interwar Period
The First World War, which began in 1914, originated from Germany’s expansionist zeal. In Italy and Germany, two new political movements arose: Fascism and Nazism. In this social context, literature was greatly transformed. In Spain, the writers of the Generation of ’98 influenced the Noucentisme movement and the Generation of ’27. Miguel Primo de Rivera imposed a dictatorial regime with the consent of Alfonso XIII. During his tenure, he attempted to prevent an economic crisis but failed. Finally, he was forced to resign, and the Second Republic was established with a vast reform plan. This led to a coup led by Franco, resulting in the Spanish Civil War.
2. The Vanguards
Also known as “isms,” these movements reject traditional art forms and advocate experimentation. They include:
- Creationism: Hispanic, creates reality within the work.
- Surrealism: Of French origin, expresses emotions of the subconscious.
3. The Novecentismo
In the second half of the twentieth century, writers emerged characterized by intellectualism and the pursuit of pure art. This group is known as the Generation of ’14. The main representative is Juan Ramón Jiménez.
3.1 The Noucentista Novel
Characterized by two features: lyrical prose and non-narrative landscapes. It works essentially as a reflection, not action, and description of characters. Among the novelists of the Generation of ’14 are Gabriel Miró and Ramón Pérez de Ayala. Also noteworthy is Ramón Gómez de la Serna, who introduced the Vanguards in Spain and created greguerías, defined as a combination of humor and metaphor.
3.2 The Noucentista Essay
Among the essayists of this generation is José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955), who outlined his ideas about how the new literature should be in La deshumanización del arte.
4. The Generation of ’27
In the 1920s, a new group of writers emerged, known as the Generation of ’27. They get their name because they met in 1927 to commemorate the tercentenary of Luis de Góngora’s death. These intellectually solid authors admired the poetry of Juan Ramón Jiménez and the ideas of Ortega y Gasset. But the poets of ’27 were not content to imitate the model of pure poetry and dehumanized art; they added new formal and thematic elements, blending modernism and tradition in their works. This generation includes Federico García Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Luis Cernuda, Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Dámaso Alonso, Gerardo Diego, and Vicente Aleixandre. The significance of the ’27 was enormous, particularly in poetry, although authors such as Lorca and Alberti also contributed to the renewal of the theatrical genre.
4.1 Rafael Alberti
- Marinero en tierra: This collection of poems deals with subjects such as nostalgia and childhood memories.
- Sobre los ángeles: Expresses the anxiety of surrealist art and the poet’s personal disorientation.
4.2 Jorge Guillén
The highest representative of pure poetry, his work is reflected in Cántico, which includes three books of poetry: Canto, Clamor, and Homenaje.
5. Juan Ramón Jiménez
Born in Moguer (Huelva) in 1881. In 1916, he went to the USA to marry Zenobia Camprubí Aymar and returned there after the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1956, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature and died two years later in Puerto Rico. His work is characterized by the pursuit of ideal perfection. Different stages can be distinguished in his literary production. The author himself defined these creative cycles as the sensitive stage, the intellectual stage, and the sufficient or true stage.
5.1 Sensitive Stage
This first stage is marked by the influence of modernism. In the poems, the sound of the verse and the presence of modernist symbols and motifs (sunset, moon, formal gardens) stand out. Musicality and adjectives are of great importance. Books from this period include Arias tristes, Elegías, and Sonetos espirituales. It also includes Platero y yo, an elegy in prose poetry.
5.2 Intellectual Stage
This stage was inaugurated in 1916 with Diario de un poeta recién casado, published a year later. It is characterized by formal nudity and the presence of more complex themes. It addresses issues such as loneliness, death, eternity, or creation. Important works, besides the Diario, include Eternidades, Piedra y cielo, and La estación total.
5.3 Sufficient or True Stage
This period includes the books written by the author during his American exile, most notably En el otro costado and Dios deseado y deseando. The poet seeks transcendence through perfection and beauty. Juan Ramón identifies the quest for poetic perfection and purification with seeking God.
6. Federico García Lorca: Poetry
Born in Fuente Vaqueros (Granada) in 1898. In 1919, he moved to the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid, where he came into contact with many authors of his generation. In 1929, he moved to New York, where he wrote poems that were published posthumously under the title Poeta en Nueva York. In 1936, he was shot to death in Víznar (Granada).
6.1 First Stage: Gypsy Ballads
In this stage, Lorca composed popular-type poetry, incorporating traditional forms of Spanish poetry to express recurring themes in his work: desire, rebellion, and death. Among the works of this period are Poema del cante jondo, recreating motifs and forms of Andalusian folklore, and Romancero gitano.
6.2 Second Stage: Poet in New York
In this stage, Lorca is strongly influenced by the avant-garde, especially surrealism. After his trip to New York, he wrote a series of poems reflecting on issues such as poverty, hunger, and social injustice. He used free verse and surreal images, based on irrational associations of ideas. They were published posthumously in the book Poeta en Nueva York.
7. Federico García Lorca: Theater
Alongside Valle-Inclán, he was the greatest innovator of Spanish theater in the first third of the 20th century. His first success came with a historical drama in verse, Mariana Pineda. The summit of his theatrical production is contained in three rural tragedies set in Andalusia: Bodas de sangre, which poses an impossible love between a man and a woman from two rival families; Yerma, which addresses the anguish of a woman unable to bear children; and La casa de Bernarda Alba, focusing on the moral tyranny of an overbearing mother. All of them address the conflict between individual freedom and authority.