27 Generation of Spanish Poets: An Overview
27 Generation: An Overview of Spanish Poets
Pedro Salinas
A key figure in the Generation of ’27, Salinas’ poetic significance lies in his renewal of language, commitment to capturing the essence of things, and vital experiences. A champion of “pure poetry,” his work is marked by authenticity, beauty, and wit. Known for his sensitivity and perfectionism, he is considered a leading love poet of his generation. His work can be divided into three stages: pure poetry influenced by Juan Ramón Jiménez, love poetry exploring life’s enrichment through love, and post-war poetry reflecting a sense of dislocation and anxiety.
Jorge Guillén
Guillén, influenced by Juan Ramón Jiménez, demonstrates the evolution of his generation from pure poetry to a poetry of commitment. His poems reveal a stylization of reality, with a refined style serving the purification of expression. His work, conceived as an ensemble called “Our Air,” includes five cycles: “Cántico” (expressing enthusiasm for the world), “Clamor” (protesting against historical horrors), “Homenaje,” “Otros poemas,” and “Final.”
Gerardo Diego
Diego, a prominent figure in Spanish Creationism, is known for his surprising variety in themes, tones, and styles. He cultivated both classical/traditional and avant-garde poetry. His works include “The Ballad of the Bride,” “Image,” “Human Lines,” and his best-known work, “Lark of Truth.” He represents a synthesis of tradition and renewal.
Vicente Aleixandre
Nobel laureate (1977), Aleixandre holds a significant place in Spanish literature. Considered a master of Spanish Surrealism, his work is divided into three stages: a pessimistic view of man expressing a desire to return to nature (with “Shadow of Paradise” as his masterpiece), a shift away from Surrealism with a more positive view of humanity, and a final stage (“Poems of the Consummation”) marked by a concise and dense style.
Dámaso Alonso
Alonso’s poetic evolution reflects the Generation of ’27’s shift towards rehumanized poetry. His critical and philological work is essential for understanding the generation’s poetics. While considered less prominent as a poet, his best-known work, “Children of Wrath,” is a powerful example of existential poetry, expressing anguish and questioning the world’s chaos.
Federico García Lorca
Lorca’s work exemplifies the fusion of tradition and modernity characteristic of the Generation of ’27. His poetry combines passion and perfection, human and aesthetic, popular and religious. A recurring theme is the tragic destiny of man. His major works include “Poem of the Cante Jondo,” “Gypsy Ballads,” “Poet in New York,” “Lament for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías,” and “Sonnets of Dark Love.”
Rafael Alberti
A combative figure in the pre-war period, Alberti’s prolific social and political poetry made him a significant intellectual symbol upon his return to Spain. His work includes neopopulist lyrics (“Sailor Ashore,” “The Lover,” “The Dawn of Alhelí”), Baroque and avant-garde poetry (“Cal y Canto”), Surrealist work (“Concerning the Angels”), civic poetry, and poetry in exile (“Verses of John Baker”).
Luis Cernuda
Cernuda’s importance lies in his unique treatment of love. His work explores the contrast between desire and worldly limitations, rooted in Romantic tradition. Themes of loneliness, longing for a livable world, and love are expressed in a personal style, blending pure poetry, classicism, and surrealism. His collected works, “The Reality and Desire,” include early classical influences, Surrealist explorations (“The Forbidden Pleasures”), and his masterpiece, “Inhabited by Oblivion.”
Miguel Hernández
Hernández represents the transition from the Generation of ’27 to the war period. His work combines the generation’s artistic concerns with the immediate historical reality.