Generation of ’27: Spanish Avant-Garde Poetry
Surrealism and the Avant-Garde in Spain
The avant-garde movement flourished in Spain, particularly during the 1920s and 1930s. Influenced by Surrealism, artists and writers gathered in hubs like Café Pombo and published their works in magazines such as Literary Gazette and Revista de Occidente. Key figures include Ramón Gómez de la Serna, a pioneer of the avant-garde, and Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro. Creationism and Surrealism, originating in Paris, were prominent movements. The Spanish avant-garde period can be divided into two phases:
- Birth and Rise of Modernism (1908-1925): This period valued dehumanized art and saw the emergence of Gómez de la Serna, along with a proliferation of “isms,” manifestos, and ephemeral magazines. It culminated in the triumph of Ultraism and Creationism, embracing the playful tone of Dadaism and the Futurists’ fascination with machines and speed.
- Surrealism and Rehumanization (1926-1936): This phase reflected the Surrealist influence on emotions, anguish, and rebellion against an increasingly problematic society. It marked the beginning of re-humanization in art. By 1930, the avant-garde movement shifted towards literature engaged with political and social issues.
Surrealism had a profound impact on Spain, particularly on the poets of the Generation of ’27. Works like Alberti’s “On the Angels” and Lorca’s “Poet in New York” are prime examples. However, Spanish Surrealism was unorthodox, as poets didn’t strictly adhere to automatic writing. Instead, they embraced the liberation of imagery, incorporating human, social, and political themes into their work.
The Poetic Group of ’27
The Generation of ’27, named after a 1927 ceremony commemorating the death of Góngora, emerged during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. Leading figures include Rafael Alberti, Federico García Lorca, Jorge Guillén, Dámaso Alonso, Gerardo Diego, Pedro Salinas, Vicente Aleixandre, and Luis Cernuda. Although primarily known for poetry, they were not a monolithic group but rather a collective within a larger historical generation.
Several trends characterized the group:
- Similar age and publishing debuts in the 1920s.
- Strong friendships fostered during their student years.
- Shared educational backgrounds, tastes, and intellectual concerns, often stemming from affluent families that allowed them to dedicate themselves to poetry.
- Reverence for Juan Ramón Jiménez as a mentor.
- A drive to renew poetry without severing ties with literary tradition.
- The creation of a distinct generational language.
Characteristics of the Poetry of ’27
The Generation of ’27 shared aesthetic principles and a desire for integration. They achieved a delicate balance between tradition and modernism, successfully blending intellectual and aesthetic pursuits with human sentimentality, universal and Spanish themes, and high art with popular culture. They were innovative but not iconoclastic, drawing inspiration from classical poets like Manrique, Garcilaso, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, and Góngora, as well as more recent figures like Bécquer, Unamuno, and Machado. They also drew from folk traditions and romances.
Their avant-garde tendencies manifested in:
- A focus on pure, dehumanized poetry.
- A pursuit of originality and creative freedom.
- The incorporation of elements from other avant-garde movements.
- The use of free verse alongside traditional metrical schemes like ballads and sonnets.
- An emphasis on imagery and metaphor.
Evolution of the Group
The group’s evolution can be divided into three stages:
- First Stage (until 1927): Marked by Bécquer’s influence and a post-modernist tone, this stage saw the early impact of avant-garde movements and the mentorship of Juan Ramón Jiménez. The poets sought pure poetry but without excessive dehumanization. Their pursuit of perfection led them to draw inspiration from classical literature, resulting in a convergence of pure poetry, neo-popularism, and a shared quest for moral perfection.
- Second Stage (1927-Spanish Civil War): This period witnessed a re-humanization of their work, coinciding with the rise of Surrealism. Human feelings—love, longing, frustration—became central themes. The magazine “Green Horse for Poetry,” featuring works by Pablo Neruda and Vicente Aleixandre, served as a manifesto for poetry without purity. The group moved away from Juan Ramón Jiménez’s aesthetic conceptions, embracing dehumanized art alongside social and political issues.
- Third Stage (Post-Civil War): The group dispersed due to the Spanish Civil War. Lorca was executed, and many others went into exile. Existential angst, social concerns, and the theme of exile became prominent. Dámaso Alonso’s “Children of Wrath” exemplifies this “anguished humanism” and existential tone.