Catalan Authors: Pedrolo, Benet i Jornet, and Mira
Manuel de Pedrolo’s Theatrical Work
Manuel de Pedrolo’s work is among the most extensive and varied in contemporary Catalan literature. He cultivated virtually all genres and explored a wide variety of themes and techniques.
Between 1958 and 1963, he wrote thirteen plays primarily focused on the theme of freedom, analyzed from different angles. These works are often categorized as belonging to the Theater of the Absurd. Some of these titles include “It Was Not,” “Cruma,” and “Situation Bis.” They share common characteristics:
- Symbolic indoor settings
- Everyday anecdotes devoid of environmental logic
- Language used for theoretical discussion
- References to the socio-political situation of the time
- Archetypal characters and ideas
- A pervasive atmosphere of anxiety, concern, and inquiry
Pedrolo wrote during a period of collective repression. To circumvent Franco’s censorship, he avoided any direct references that could pinpoint the action’s location; there are no explicit geographical or historical markers, and the characters function as symbols.
Pedrolo’s theater was contemporary with the European Theater of the Absurd. However, Pedrolo never considered himself part of that movement; he preferred to categorize his work as abstract theater. The main themes explored in his plays include death, communication between individuals, authenticity, the meaning of life, and, above all, freedom.
Josep Maria Benet i Jornet’s Plays and Audiovisual Connections
Josep Maria Benet i Jornet represents a generation that matured during the Franco regime. His works contain features of historical realism, drawing inspiration from figures like Bertolt Brecht, Buero Vallejo, Salvador Espriu, and Arthur Miller, among others.
In the early 1970s, his realistic approach was reformulated through formal experimentation.
In the 1990s, he initiated a cycle marked not only by a renewal of form, technique, and style but also by a reflection on personal issues. This shift is evident in both the subject matter and the stage aesthetics.
Parallel to his more formal theatrical work, he also wrote children’s theater and for television, a trend he has maintained in recent years.
He is considered one of the few Catalan playwrights of his generation to have consistently adapted to the aesthetic and political concerns of each era.
Joan Francesc Mira and Our Contemporary Reality
Joan Francesc Mira is a writer known for his critical perspective on the world around him. His aim is not to create aesthetic, introspective literature focused on form, but rather a literature directed outward, toward the world. This literature is characterized by its simplicity and naturalness. He views writing as his way of life and of being a responsible citizen, a way of existing in the world. The fundamental issues he addresses are life in human society and the cultural events that provide incentives within that life.
His work offers a critical examination of the country’s reality, which he sees as devalued and undergoing destruction. This is why his concern is directed toward our identity. It is not easy to define ourselves as a people because, within our country, there isn’t a single clear idea of who we are. Different, sometimes opposing, ways of thinking exist, and there is no unity regarding objectives or identity. It could be said that we are a union of three provinces without any common purpose or shared identity.
In short, a country’s existence depends on the majority of its inhabitants considering themselves to live in a community that possesses its own territory, is capable of self-governance, and is not dependent on any other dominant power.