20th-Century Spanish Novelists: A Renewal of Realism
20th-Century Spanish Novelists
A Renewal of Realism
The novelists of the early 20th century in Spain demonstrated a clear desire for renewal and improvement of Realist techniques:
- Subjectivity: The novel ceased to be an instrument for knowledge of reality and became a means of expressing the author’s feelings and thoughts (Unamuno).
- Emphasis on Imagery and Expression: This is evident in the works of Valle-Inclán.
- Diminished Importance of Plot: The narrative breaks down into scenes (Azorín).
- Symbolic Landscape: The landscape evolved from a mere framework to a symbol (Azorín).
Miguel de Unamuno
Unamuno’s maverick, contradictory, and unorthodox spirit is reflected in his works, which aimed to awaken the consciences of his compatriots. His stories focus on the problems of human existence. He renewed the novelistic genre, inventing the word nivola to describe his narrative model:
- Expressive nudity, avoiding descriptions or customary depictions.
- Focus on intimate dramas.
- Importance of dialogue.
- Presence of an agonist character, struggling against the idea of death.
- Mix of real and fictional characters.
- Open architecture.
- Interior monologue.
His notable works include:
- Peace in War: Recounts the Carlist Wars with an autobiographical background.
- Love and Pedagogy: Tells the story of Don Avito Carrascal’s failed attempt to educate his child using modern theories.
- Mist: Explores the existential problems of Augusto Pérez, who confronts his fictitious reality.
- Abel Sanchez: Examines Cain-like envy.
- Aunt Tula: Explores frustrated maternity.
- Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr: Depicts the life of a village priest who has lost his faith.
José Martínez Ruiz (Azorín)
Born in Monóvar (Alicante), Azorín began writing autobiographical novels featuring a character named Antonio Azorín (e.g., Will, Antonio Azorín, Confessions of a Small Philosopher). He later wrote novels expressing the concerns of the Generation of ’98 (e.g., destiny, time, fate) and applied innovative narrative techniques (e.g., Doña Inés, Village). His style is sober, precise, with short phrases and extensive vocabulary. He excels in characterizing environments and characters, with detailed descriptions and a slow, meditative pace.
Pío Baroja
Born in San Sebastian, Baroja is considered one of the greatest novelists of his time. He worked as a doctor before dedicating himself to literature. His solitary and sullen nature, with an underlying emotional tenderness, fueled a radical pessimism about humanity. His literary production can be divided into three stages:
- First Stage (1900-1910): Works like The Way of Perfection, The Struggle for Life trilogy (The Search, Aurora Weed, and Red), The Tree of Knowledge, Zalacaín the Adventurer, and The Concerns of Shanti Andia express the spirit of the Generation of ’98 and the crisis of the century. These novels present characters searching for meaning in their existence.
- Second Stage (1913-1936): Baroja’s creative potential waned, repeating previous themes and including ideological digressions (e.g., Memories of a Man of Action).
- Third Stage (1937-1956): His memoirs, From the Last Lap of the Road, are prominent.
Baroja championed a “low-key rhetoric” for the novel (short paragraphs, simple vocabulary, lack of syntactic links). His style reflects his ideas about the novel as an open form, defending the novelist’s absolute freedom. He prioritized naturalness, amenity, and a captivating pace. His narratives are composed of scattered episodes linked by a central character. His characters, often misfits opposing their social environment, project his ideas about the world and his lack of faith in humanity. His pace is fast and agile, combining the despair and anguish of Romanticism with the deterministic vision of Realism and Modernist forms like Impressionism in his descriptions of environments and characters.