Federico García Lorca and Pío Baroja: Spanish Literary Masters
Federico García Lorca: Life and Works
Federico García Lorca was born in Fuentevaqueros, Granada. He studied law, philosophy, and literature. In Madrid, he resided at the Residencia de Estudiantes, where he befriended many of Spain’s most important intellectuals. He actively participated in literary circles and met Jorge Guillén, among others, with whom he formed the Generation of 27, a group of poets who began writing around 1920 and shared common characteristics. They admired Góngora and adopted the name “Generation of 27” to commemorate the third centenary of his death. Lorca excelled as a playwright and was equally successful in cultivating poetry and drama. Today, he is considered one of the key authors in Spanish literary history. He was tragically shot near Granada due to his support for the Republic.
Lorca’s Theatrical Journey
Lorca began his dramatic writing by representing classic comedy. He expressed a desire to renew the theatrical scene of his time. His first success was Mariana Pineda. After returning from a trip to New York, he declared his intention to renovate the theater, drawing inspiration from the nonsensical works of Valle-Inclán. He then focused on the genre that would elevate him to the top: rural tragedy.
Themes in Lorca’s Works
The themes in Lorca’s plays are essentially the same as those in his poetry: the struggle for freedom, love, and death. His works often feature female characters who are repressed. This focus on the feminine world reflects Lorca’s attraction to oppressed and marginalized groups. His work blends tradition and renewal, a characteristic of the Generation of 27. Lorca remained attentive to avant-garde innovations. While his early plays used verse, he later leaned towards prose.
Set in contemporary times, Lorca was inspired by real events. His work offers a critical reflection on the mores of his era and the tyranny of honor and social norms. It portrays a society hostile to individual happiness, culminating in the tragic failure (often represented by death) of those who challenge the establishment.
Pío Baroja’s The Tree of Knowledge
Pío Baroja is the author of The Tree of Knowledge. He was a Spanish writer of the Generation of 98, born in San Sebastián and died in Madrid. Coming from a liberal family, he lived in various places due to his father’s work as a mining engineer.
Baroja’s Life and Philosophy
Baroja studied medicine and worked as a doctor briefly. However, he soon moved to Madrid, abandoning medicine for the literary world, working in a family bakery. When the Civil War broke out, he went to France.
Pío Baroja was a solitary, bitter, shy, independent, and skeptical individual. He believed the world was meaningless and had no faith in humanity. Philosophers like Schopenhauer and Nietzsche heavily influenced his thoughts. In his works, he portrayed a man of action who stood against society, reflecting his own aspirations.
The Generation of 98 and Social Critique
As mentioned, Baroja belonged to the Generation of 98, a group that emerged from the disaster of 1898 when Spain lost its last colonies, leading to a sharp economic decline. The writers of this generation criticized the government, the country’s cultural landscape, history, religion, science, philosophy, and even love, as it entailed responsibilities.
The Tree of Knowledge critiques various issues, including the cultural environment, the government’s lack of investment in science, human cruelty, lack of dignity, the individualistic nature of the Spanish, sexual repression, false patriotism, the indifference of the poor towards improving their situation, and the comfortable attitude of the rich.