20th-Century Spanish Literature: Essay and Novel
Overview of the Spanish Essay (Late 19th – 20th Century)
The essay, a prose text characterized by its varied length, thematic diversity, and reflective nature, experienced significant development between the late nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth century. Several key periods contributed to the establishment of the modern Spanish essay:
Late 19th and Early 20th Century
Writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, grappling with the ideological, political, and social crises of their time, expressed deep concern for the reality of Spain. They reflected on national problems and offered new proposals, seeking a national cultural identity rooted in history and artistic works.
- Miguel de Unamuno’s essays were marked by subjective reasoning and personal expression, transforming his inner world into a kind of spiritual autobiography.
- Azorín’s writings featured detailed descriptions of landscapes, towns, and daily life, artistically recreated through a melancholic and restless lens.
Noucentisme (Early 20th Century)
Noucentista writers also sought reform and modernization, albeit from diverse personal, social, and ideological perspectives. They emphasized scientific training and Europeanization, aligning with the construction of a modern, liberal state. Their objective was to modernize the country and foster moral change in individuals.
- José Ortega y Gasset’s philosophy introduced key concepts like “vital reason” (reason as a product of life circumstances) and “perspectivism.”
Post-Civil War Period (1940s-1950s)
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) significantly impacted the essay. Works aligned with the Franco regime’s values coexisted with more insubstantial pieces. The best works of this period came from authors like Pedro Laín Entralgo and Enrique Tierno Galván.
- In the 1940s, the essay was largely constrained by the political, ideological, and moral dictates of the dictatorship. Many texts endorsed the regime’s values.
- The 1950s saw an ideological shift, enabling a more critical essay that addressed dissenting themes.
1960s and 1970s
The 1960s and 1970s witnessed the dissemination of diverse intellectual currents from abroad, facilitated by new publishing houses and magazines. A more specialized and critical essay emerged.
- The 1960s saw a rise in historical and political analysis, reflecting a more critical attitude, a desire for communication, and a push for freedom of expression.
From the 1980s Onward
From the 1980s, interest in overtly political and ideological essays declined. Texts focused on ethical and aesthetic considerations, emphasizing the changes in contemporary society.
General Features of the Modern Spanish Essay
A defining characteristic of the modern Spanish essay is its formal freedom, employing an accessible style rich in expressive resources, often blurring the lines with literature.
Overview of the Spanish Novel (Post-Civil War)
Post-Civil War Spanish novelists sought to create a new narrative tradition, moving beyond the established models of realism. The novel became a space for engagement with the realities of postwar Spain.
The 1940s
The novel of the 1940s was characterized by the presence of reality as a central theme. This period marked a break with the recent past, with several trends coexisting: the nationalist novel, traditional realism, and tremendismo (a literary style emphasizing violence and suffering), sometimes combined with an existentialist vision, alongside humorous or fantastical trends.
The 1950s
Censorship remained a significant factor in the immediate postwar period. The social novel persisted, offering critiques of the regime, albeit often veiled. Techniques from American objectivism were incorporated, and the novel’s social commitment deepened. The characteristics of the 1950s novel continued into the early 1960s.
- Ethical Commitment to Reality: Novels reflected the lived experiences of Spaniards, including poverty, hunger, shantytowns, worker alienation, and the frivolous lives of the wealthy elite.
- Two Main Streams of Ethical Commitment:
- Social Trend: Authors like Antonio Ferres, Juan Marsé, and Juan Goytisolo saw literature as a tool for raising social awareness and promoting their ideological stance.
- Neorealist Trend: Neorealist writers believed that depicting individual experiences could reveal broader truths about the world, exploring themes like loneliness, frustration, and disappointment.
The 1960s
By the 1960s, authors were increasingly concerned with narrative techniques and innovation, leading to the experimentalism that characterized the era. The influence of 20th-century American and European avant-garde narratives was notable.
- Narrative Innovations:
- Loss of narrative perspective, creating a sense of fictional dialogue.
- Rupture of temporal linearity, blending subjective and objective time.
- Direct interior monologue or stream of consciousness and the deconstruction of syntax to express the characters’ inner conflicts.
- Linguistic richness, including the creation of new words.
- Importance of visuality, using elements like different fonts for expressive purposes.
From the 1970s Onward
From the 1970s, the Spanish novel moved away from overarching trends and embraced diversity. This period was characterized by a multitude of models and themes.