Evolution of Spanish Theater: Modernism to Esperpento
Spanish Theater in the Early 20th Century
The early 20th-century Spanish theater inherited forms from the previous century: historical dramas in verse, “high comedy” aimed at bourgeois society, and the “kind guy,” inherited from farce and *entremés*. Authors of the Generation of ’98 (such as Valle-Inclán) and the Generation of ’27 (such as García Lorca) created innovative works, leading to significant Spanish theatrical creations.
Modernist Theater and the Generation of ’98
A “commercial” theater triumphed in the early decades. Works by Carlos Arniches and the brothers Álvarez Quintero, who romanticized Madrid and Andalusian society, were still represented. Their characters reflected the strengths and weaknesses typical of both regions. Successful authors like Jacinto Benavente, with plays such as *The Nest*, *Lady Love*, or *La Malquerida*, broke with the tradition of 19th-century melodrama. However, Benavente quickly transitioned to the “high comedy” of a bourgeois character with *Vested Interests*, which introduces characters from the Italian *commedia dell’arte* and depicts a society based on a set of interests through its complementary protagonists. Other notable authors include Miguel de Unamuno, José Martínez Ruiz “Azorín”, and Jacinto Grau.
Ramón María del Valle-Inclán
Ramón María del Valle-Inclán was born in Pontevedra in 1866. His real name was Ramón del Valle y Peña. He began his studies in Pontevedra and Santiago, where he enrolled in law school, but his studies were not characterized by either utility or brilliance. After his father’s death, he moved to Madrid. He worked in Mexico as a journalist for *El Correo Español* and *El Universal*. It was in Mexico that he established his literary name, Valle-Inclán. He had an unfortunate incident with Manuel Bueno, in which Valle-Inclán was injured. A stick hit his arm, causing a bad infection that later required amputation. He was operated on in Santiago de Compostela for a bladder tumor, and during his convalescence, he wrote *Tirano Banderas*. He was appointed director of the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in 1933 but resigned in 1934. On his return, already very ill, he was admitted to a sanatorium in Santiago. He died on Twelfth Night, 1936.
Valle-Inclán’s Theatrical Cycles
- Mythical Cycle: Composed of *Comedias Bárbaras*, *El Embrujado*, and *Divinas Palabras*. The *Comedias Bárbaras* are set in a timeless, archaic, and superstitious Galicia, with amoral and fierce characters, and a world of passions where the supernatural and mysterious live alongside death. *Divinas Palabras* is a rural tragicomedy: the main character is a dwarf with hydrocephalus who is displayed at fairs to make money. *El Embrujado* shares the environment of the earlier works.
- Farse Cycle: Consisting of *The Dragon’s Head*, *The Marquise Rosalinda*, *Farsa Italiana de la Enamorada del Rey*, and *Farsa y Licencia de la Reina Castiza*. Valle-Inclán opposed the sentimental and the grotesque to face reality differently and demystify traditional society with increasingly grotesque language.
- Esperpento Cycle: This cycle features a systematic deformation of reality to offer a grotesque image. It’s a new aesthetic, a new vision of the world that seeks a critical position. This coincides with an aesthetic movement of protest against bourgeois society, as it shows its most corrupt and ruthless inauthentic aspects. The marvel of *esperpento* is the deformation of language. It mixes discreet and refined expressions with vulgar or jargon-filled ones, creating a dark and pure style. It’s a masterful use of irony and sarcasm.