Generation of ’27: A Poetic Revolution in Spain

Posted on Oct 9, 2024 in Latin

1. Context (Same as Item 8)

During the reign of Alfonso XIII, Spain experienced the crisis of the Restoration, followed by Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship, the Second Republic, and the Civil War. The predominantly agrarian population faced poor living conditions and working conditions, leading to the growth of unions and the labor movement. The Church experienced significant economic and power losses. Scientific advancements in education were slow. The rise of journalism contributed to cultural expansion, while economic and technological developments facilitated communication and modernization. The avant-garde art movement emerged, seeking a break from tradition. Notable Spanish figures included Sorolla, Picasso, Gaudí, and Albéniz. Modernism, the Generation of ’98, the Generation of ’27, and Novecentismo flourished. This period was considered a Silver Age, following a Golden Age.

2. Definition, Generational Features, and Authors

The Generation of ’27 was a group of poets in the 1920s who maintained close relationships, presented themselves as a group in 1927 to commemorate Góngora’s death, and published their works in various journals, books, and their own Anthology.

3. Key Features

  • Overview of Trends: They sought to balance existing trends in Spain.
  • Avant-Garde and Tradition: They briefly embraced the avant-garde while respecting lyrical tradition and incorporating intellectual themes. They adapted and modified certain avant-garde techniques.
  • Style: They emphasized linguistic expression, creating lyrical language with frequent literary devices and a complex poetic style.
  • Topics:
    • Love: Represented individual fulfillment in all its manifestations, including pain.
    • Art: Influenced by the avant-garde, art became a subject of poetic creation.
    • Nature: Viewed as an environment or part of the poetic, sometimes identified with God (pantheistic view).
    • City: Inspired by futurism, they held an optimistic view of the city’s comforts while acknowledging its negative aspects.
    • Social Concerns: The impact of the Civil and World Wars is evident in themes of injustice and disaster, expressing desires for peace and protesting against injustice towards marginalized groups.
    • Intimate Concerns: Explored the conflict between human desire and reality, fate, the human condition, anxiety, and frustration.
    • Tragic Sense of Death: The human struggle against adversity led to a tragic sense of life, marked by pain and frustration.

4. Stages of the Generation

  • Stage 1 (1927): Influenced by modernism and the avant-garde. Guided by Juan Ramón Jiménez towards pure poetry, they were sometimes criticized for being dehumanized. Their formal perfection connected them to the classics, and they were inspired by Góngora.
  • Stage 2 (1928): Surrealism emerged in contrast to pure poetry, rehumanizing poetry as seen in Neruda’s manifesto. Social and political themes entered their work, and some writers adopted revolutionary stances.
  • Stage 3 (Post-Civil War): The group dispersed, each pursuing individual paths while maintaining the rehumanization of poetry. Nostalgia and rebellion became prominent themes, along with existential concerns and solidarity.

5. Most Significant Authors and Works

Pedro Salinas (1891-1951)

Professor, poet, critic, and playwright known for pure poetry influenced by Juan Ramón Jiménez. He explored the essence of things, with love as a central theme. His simple lines often contained paradoxes and wordplay. His work is divided into three stages:

  • 1st Stage: Blend of pure poetry and futuristic themes. Key work: Presagios (Omens).
  • 2nd Stage: Focus on the inner world and love as a life experience. Key work: La razón de amor (The Reason of Love).
  • 3rd Stage: Exile in America. Key work: El Contemplado (The Viewer).

Jorge Guillén (1893-1984)

Cervantes Prize winner. Remained true to pure poetry and optimism. Aire Nuestro (Our Air) compiles his work into five books. He used sophisticated language, short verses, and hendecasyllables, focusing on essential ideas. His themes included the affirmation of being, fullness, time, chance, and chaos.

Gerardo Diego (1896-1987)

Literature professor, National Literary Award and Cervantes Prize winner. His poetry has two facets: traditional (Soria), with themes of love, God, and nature; and creationist (Imagen – Image).

Dámaso Alonso (1898-1990)

Director of the Royal Spanish Academy, poet, linguist, and literary critic. Considered a critic within the Generation of ’27. The Civil War led him to reject pure poetry. Key postwar works include Hijos de la ira (Children of Wrath), expressing pain and existential rootlessness, and Hombre y Dios (Man and God), exploring anguish, pain, death, and God.

Vicente Aleixandre (1898-1984)

National Literature Prize and Nobel Prize winner. A prominent surrealist poet. His visionary poetry evolved from a communicative style, aligning with the trends of the 1950s. Sombra del paraíso (Shadow of Paradise) marked the beginning of his uprooted phase. His later trilogy returned to a philosophical surrealism.

Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

Poet, playwright, and theater director. Founded the theater group La Barraca. Combined popular and traditional elements with avant-garde techniques. His themes centered on frustration, using rich symbolism. He explored loneliness, tragedy, and the struggles of marginalized people. His work is divided into two stages:

  • Neopopularista: Key works: Poema del cante jondo (Poem of Deep Song), and Romancero Gitano (Gypsy Ballads).
  • Surrealist: Key works: Poeta en Nueva York (Poet in New York), and Sonetos del amor oscuro (Sonnets of Dark Love).

Rafael Alberti (1902-1999)

Poet and political activist. Combined folk elements, baroque style, and traditional and new forms. Marinero en tierra (Sailor Ashore) won the National Prize for Literature. He later embraced neopopularismo and neogongorismo. Sobre los ángeles (Concerning the Angels) is his masterpiece, influenced by surrealism and symbolism.

Luis Cernuda (1902-1963)

Poet, critic, and essayist. La realidad y el deseo (Reality and Desire) compiles his work, exploring the clash between desire and reality. His conversational tone blended classical and surrealist elements.

Emilio Prados (1899-1962)

Poet and magazine founder. His work is divided into three stages:

  • First: Explored the relationship between nature and being, blending surrealism with Andalusian roots. Key work: Tiempo (Time).
  • Second: Focused on social and political poetry with surrealist language. Key work: Destino fiel (Faithful Destination).
  • Third: Exile in Mexico, marked by themes of uprooting and solitude. Key work: Jardín Cerrado (Enclosed Garden).

Manuel Altolaguirre (1905-1954)

Poet, screenwriter, and film director. Viewed poetry as a source of knowledge and communication. Known for his intimate and spiritual poetry. His themes included the human-nature relationship, love, and loneliness. Las islas invitadas (The Invited Islands) is his most important work.