20th Century Spanish Poets
Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)
Theatrical Writer and Poet
Lorca’s poetry was widely known and admired, following two distinct lines:
- Classical and Traditional: Exemplified by his Gypsy Ballads, which use traditional verse to depict the exclusion, frustration, and tragic fate of the Roma people.
- Avant-Garde and Surrealist: A cutting-edge style exploring new forms of expression, evident in Poet in New York, which features surreal images that escape the logic of reality and addresses themes of dehumanization, materialism, the power of money, and marginalization.
Dámaso Alonso
Poet of the Generation of ’27
Dámaso Alonso, a member of the Generation of ’27, is often classified as a pure poet. His work expresses a torn and bleak vision of the human condition, using long verses and violent language, including vulgar and objectionable lexicon. He accuses, curses, and protests the grotesque spectacle of the world during wartime. His “uprooted” poetry contrasts with the “rooted” poetry prevalent after the Spanish Civil War, representing a rebellion against the supposed harmony and calm of magazines like Garcilaso.
Vicente Aleixandre
Poet of Multiple Stages
Throughout his life, Aleixandre concealed his homosexuality. His poetry evolved through several stages:
- Pure Poetry: His first book, Ámbito, reflects a primitive style.
- Surrealist Poetry: A radical shift marked by prose poems and free verse, celebrating love as an uncontrollable natural force.
- Anthropocentric Poetry: Post-war, his work shifted towards social concerns, addressing the common man’s life with an accessible style.
- Poetry of Old Age: A return to the absurd, but in a refined and quiet manner.
Rafael Alberti
Poet of the Generation of ’27
Rafael Alberti, a member of the Generation of ’27, is considered a major figure in the Silver Age of Spanish literature. He won the National Literature Prize in 1925 for Marinero en tierra, a work of refined popular style where the sea becomes a myth. His lyricism encompasses neo-popularism, Gongorism, surrealism, political poetry, and poetry of nostalgia. His early work, like Marinero en tierra, expresses nostalgia for the sea. A stylistic shift towards Surrealism followed a personal crisis and a general aesthetic crisis in Western art.
Luis Cernuda (1902-1963)
Poet of Reality and Desire
Born in Seville, Cernuda belonged to the Generation of ’27. His poetry, collected under the title “Reality and Desire,” explores the clash between family values and personal identity. Introduced to poetry by Pedro Salinas, Cernuda went into exile in 1938, living in England, the USA, and Mexico. His work spans pure poetry, surrealism, and socially committed poetry, often focusing on love as a supreme, yet painful, human experience.
Miguel Hernández (1910-1942)
Poet and Playwright
of particular importance in Spanish literature s.XX.Aunque traditionally has been framed in the generation of 36, Miguel Hernandez had a greater proximity to the generation of 27 and therefore was considered as”great follower (last item) of the generation of 27.”Works: The ray that does not stop focusing on issues of personal concern. Wind Village, written in 1937 during the civil war, whose content reflects social concern (Miguel Hernandez committed to the Republic and defended the most revolutionary ideology) and its commitment to the most humble people. Sometimes his poetry is poetry of war, written to encourage soldiers to fight Republicans Franco’s troops. Songbook and ballads of absence, in which Hernandez in the jails, shows his feelings of separation from his wife and newborn.