20th-Century Spanish Narrative and Dramatic Literature
Spanish Literature in the 20th Century
Narrative
Late nineteenth-century naturalist fiction reflected a socially stable Spain with a lasting morality. With the crisis at the turn of the century, writers began exploring the internal conflicts of human beings as the main theme of their novels, reflecting the new social and historical realities of the twentieth century. The Modernists and the Generation of ’98 were the first to renew the narrative genre.
Naturalism
Naturalism persisted with authors like Blasco Ibáñez, known for The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Alejandro Sawa, author of In the Background Lighting.
The Generation of ’98
The Generation of ’98 emerged with distinct characteristics:
- Concern for Spain’s situation
- Desire to modernize the country
- Focus on Spain as the subject of their work
- Exploration of the essence of Spanish and eternal values
- Influence of irrationalist philosophers like Schopenhauer
- Preoccupation with human subjects and the meaning of life
- Desire to renew literary language
- Recovery of traditional words
- Defense of an anti-rhetorical style
- Modernization of traditional genres
Key authors include Azorín, known for works like Doña Inés, which explored themes of time and landscape. Unamuno, another major figure, grappled with existential and religious issues in works like Nivola and Aunt Tula. Pio Baroja, known for The Tree of Knowledge and trilogies like The Sea and Cities, viewed the novel as an open genre encompassing everything.
Novecentismo (Generation of ’14)
The Novecentismo movement, also known as the Generation of ’14, emerged around 1914. This group, considered among the most important intellectuals of modern Spain, bridged the gap between the Generation of ’98 and the avant-garde. Key figures include Ortega y Gasset, Gregorio Marañón, Pérez de Ayala, Manuel Azaña, and Ramón Gómez de la Serna. Ortega y Gasset’s The Dehumanization of Art was influential in the movement’s development. Pérez de Ayala stood out for his intellectual novels, characterized by an intellectual style, wry humor, and complex language. Ramón Gómez de la Serna, known for his modern and lyrical novels, also contributed significantly to the movement.
Characteristics of this generation:
- Intellectual work
- Political commitment
- Concern for Spain
- Educational effort
- Preference for essays
- Elitist concept of art
- Intellectual cosmopolitanism
Valle-Inclán
Valle-Inclán initially employed a modernist aesthetic, using musical and evocative language in works like the Sonatas. He later evolved towards a harsher, more critical style, evident in his Carlist War trilogy and the esperpento genre, exemplified by Tirano Banderas, a satirical critique of Latin American dictatorships. His grotesque and vicious world is also depicted in poems like La pipa de kif.
The Avant-Garde and Social Novel
The avant-garde novel utilized techniques pioneered by authors like Joyce and was influenced by Surrealism. A prominent figure in this movement was Ramón Gómez de la Serna. Following the avant-garde came the social novel, with key authors like Manuel Benavides and Ramón J. Sender. This genre denounced social injustice and encouraged reader engagement in transforming the country.
Theater
Early 20th Century
In the early 20th century, Spanish theater was divided into high comedy, poetic theater, and comedy-drama. High comedy offered mild critiques of bourgeois moral conflicts, with Jacinto Benavente as a leading figure. Poetic theater blended historical and romantic drama with modernist language, featuring authors like Eduardo Marquina and the Machado brothers. Comedy-drama presented easily resolved surface-level issues with popular characters, represented by playwrights like Carlos Arniches and the Álvarez Quintero brothers.
First Third of the 20th Century
The early 20th century saw attempts to renew Spanish drama. The Generation of ’98 contributed with authors like Unamuno, whose Phaedra focused on drama without action, and Azorín, whose work reflected his obsession with time. Valle-Inclán’s originality defied categorization, evolving from modernism to the absurd. Ramón Gómez de la Serna also contributed to this theatrical renewal. Commercial theater persisted, aiming to entertain without literary ambition.
The Second Republic and Lorca
The Second Republic promoted cultural accessibility, including theater, through initiatives like the Pedagogic Missions. Federico García Lorca emerged as a major playwright, experimenting with various styles, from symbolist and puppet theater to modernist verse drama and realism. His works often explored the social marginalization of women, as seen in Blood Wedding, Yerma, and The House of Bernarda Alba.
Post-Civil War Theater
The post-Civil War period saw censorship imposed on literary production. Buero Vallejo’s Historia de una escalera marked the beginning of realistic theater. Alongside him, Alfonso Sastre contributed to the renovation of the Spanish stage. Two main stages characterized this era: theater under censorship and theater in democracy.
Theater Under Censorship (1950-1975)
Three types of theater emerged during this period: realistic theater, which addressed fundamental human problems; unrealistic drama, which tackled similar issues with a different aesthetic; and drama of consumption, aimed at entertaining the bourgeois public.
Theater in Democracy (1975-Present)
With the arrival of democracy, previously banned works were revived. New authors emerged, and established theater groups like La Fura dels Baus, Tricicle, and La Cubana gained prominence.