Catalan Literature: From Table Manners to Realism
Table Manners
Table manners, also known as “costumbrismo”, originated from periodical press publications. This style often includes a gender facet, recreated as part of a collective identity, influencing literary life. Notable figures like Robert are mentioned, employing a nostalgic approach with a critical intent. These practices are central to costumbrismo, contrasting with the depiction of the countryside. Custom paintings in the last decades of the 19th century were eventually accepted by the Renaissance as a necessary contribution to Catalan literature. Literary customs become an elegy for a disappearing pre-industrialized world. The value of custom boxes and their revival lies in the willingness to register all aspects of a community.
The Romantic Novel
The Romantic novel is a journey that marked significant milestones, as seen in *Werther*. Key developments include the rise of the historical novel (with Walter Scott as a prominent figure) and the serial novel (with Alexandre Dumas as an outstanding example), which achieved significant success through drama and sentimentality. The protagonist and the echo of the novel found instant success in Catalan, often through translations from Spanish.
The Novel in Catalan
Antoni Bofarull, author of the poetry anthology *The New Troubadours*, wrote the novel *The Orphan of Menàrguens*. This work combines elements of historical novels and serial novels, initiating a slow and difficult recovery of the novel genre in Catalan.
Realist and Naturalist Novels
Realistic fiction articulates a narrative that corresponds to the contemporary world. Characters are influenced by the environment in which they were formed and by the historical and social situations they experienced, striving for narrative objectivity. The narrator attempts to remain impassive.
The Naturalist novel follows a scientific method, incorporating deterministic theories of positivism. It gives prominence, for the first time, to characters from the working class.
Narcís Oller
Narcís Oller fought against the Romantic tendency, which often deviated from the narrative, bringing objectivity to a field often dominated by sentimentality and moralism. Critics like John and Joseph Yxart Sardà advocated for the conception of the novel as a genre based on the observation of reality.
An Ambitious Narrative Project: A Portrait of His Time
His first novel, *The Butterfly*, received a very positive reception and was quickly translated into other languages. It incorporates costumbrista elements.
*L’Escanyapobres*
L’Escanyapobres is one of the culminating points of Oller’s narrative. It overcomes the sentimental tendency and perhaps presents a negative characterization of the studied character. It reflects the significant impact of industrialization, where the arrival of the railway disrupts the rural world, ultimately becoming a factor of progress.
*Vilaniu* and *La Febre d’Or*
These novels initially were conceived as blocks in the creation of his literary world. *Vilaniu* highlights Oller’s narrative skill in expressing historical and social tensions at a provincial level. It is Oller’s most ambitious novel. The theme is the rise of intelligent artisans to the bourgeoisie during the era of the gold rush.
*Madness*
Madness is a short novel, considered one of the best examples of his work. Its success stems from a narrative standpoint. It forms part of a corpus of novels, a set of interrelated works that respond to a global intention.
*Pilar Prim*
Pilar Prim represents an attempt to approach new modernist trends, showing a concern for the psychology of the characters and formal articulation.
Narrative Elements
- Perspective: Third person, first person, etc.
- Space: Where the action takes place.
- Time: Historical narrative.