Generation of ’98: Prose, Writers, and Existential Concerns
Prose in the Generation of ’98
The noventayochistas (members of the Generation of ’98) show in their works their concerns and their vision for existential issues and the decline of Spain through simple and direct language. Their works reflect a concern for Spain, especially the attractions they feel for Castilla, impressed by the landscape. They also admire its beauty, which fits perfectly with the straightforward and clear style of their works.
This was a group of intellectuals who reflected on the century’s crisis caused by corruption, apathy of the people, lack of education, and existential concerns. Unamuno, Azorín, and Baroja explored these issues in their works, seeking to unravel the meaning of life. They also showed an attraction to history, seeking to discover the essence of Spain. Some of the most important prose writers of this generation are:
Miguel de Unamuno
In all his paths, his heart meets his mind and his life. The problem of the decline of Spain is discussed in his essays, critical of the Europeanization of Spain. He proposes constumbres castizas (traditional customs). He tells us that the real story is not of great events, but of everyday life. In The Life of Don Quixote and Sancho, he analyzes the characteristics of being Spanish and proposes the Hispanization of Europe.
Transcendence is the subject of his essays, such as The Tragic Sense of Life and The Agony of Christianity. Unamuno is hungry for God, who is the only one who can save him from the anguish felt at death and the fear of nothingness. He needs God to provide immortality. Beyond transcendence and criticism, his novels Pedagogy and Love and Peace in War were not considered novels. He decided to create the denomination of nivola. This new genre arises from the importance of dialogue and the conception of the novel as a skeleton on which to elaborate. He also tested other techniques, such as the novel within the novel, converting fictional characters within them.
Prose of the Generation of ’14
The intellectual character of the Noucentista writers, their strong tendency to reflection, and the abundance of philosophical, historical, erudite, and teaching figures among them, make the essay one of their favorite forms of expression. Ortega y Gasset stood out in Spain at that time, admired by Unamuno, but with important disagreements. He became an intellectual figure of reference for several years.
Works by Ortega y Gasset
- Meditations on Quixote
- Invertebrate Spain
- The Dehumanization of Art
His aesthetic essays are important and offer a new avant-garde analysis. He divides the audience, explaining the minority character and popular appeal of the poet. The principal element is metaphor. All these ideas about art and literature became common in Spain at the time and had great importance. Gabriel Miró is an example of a pure writer true to his work. We can distinguish two stages in his production. The first may be distinguished by the modernist influence of sickly and decadent environments, weak-willed characters, and misfits. The second stage is known for the formal perfection of the prose, where descriptions of environments are important. He does not shy away from critical attitudes, cruel episodes, or irony.