Generation of ’98: Spanish Literature and Existentialism

Posted on Oct 8, 2024 in Latin

Generation of ’98: A Literary and Historical Overview

The Generation of ’98 and Modernism emerged in Spain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sharing similar literary, historical, and social contexts. However, distinct differences set them apart.

Themes

The Disaster of 1898

The Spanish-American War of 1898 resulted in the loss of Spain’s colonial empire and international prestige. Writers of the Generation of ’98, also known as the G98, responded by idealizing Castilian landscapes, history, and artistic and literary classics.

Existentialism

Existentialist themes are prominent in the works of the Generation of ’98, reflecting personal anxieties about the fate of humanity and the meaning of life, including death, time, and religion.

Style

Common Styles of the Generation of ’98

• Anti-rhetorical and meticulous language
• Preference for traditional vocabulary
• Use of vocabulary from traditional literature
• Subjectivism
• Precise and accurate expression
• Simplicity, rigor, and innovation

Authors

Antonio Machado (1875-1939)

Born in Seville, Machado moved to Madrid at the age of 8 and later to Paris, where he met Rubén Darío. He obtained a professorship in French at the age of 32 and married Leonor Izquierdo, who tragically died three years later. Machado then moved to Baeza and eventually fled to Collioure during the Spanish Civil War, where he died. A renowned poet, Machado’s early work aligned with Modernism before evolving into a more subjective and intimate style. His most representative work, Solitudes, explores themes of existential angst. Machado’s poetry often depicts decaying landscapes, reflecting his melancholic mood and anguish. Recurring motifs include:

• The afternoon, wheel, road, autumn, falling leaves (representing the passage of time)
• Sea (representing death)
• Hives, galleries of the heart (representing poetic creation)
• Dreams (representing true knowledge)

Machado’s ideological evolution is evident in Campos de Castilla (1912), which portrays the Castilian landscape, its people, and its history. He examines the behavior of Spaniards and offers brief, critical commentary.

Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936)

Born in Bilbao, Unamuno studied philosophy and literature in Madrid and later became rector of the University of Salamanca. In 1924, he was exiled for opposing the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera and subsequently sought refuge in Paris. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he opposed the Nationalist forces and was placed under house arrest, where he died. Unamuno’s extensive body of work, including essays, novels, poetry, and plays, reflects his philosophical and religious concerns. He criticized the Spanish situation, proposing Europe as a model, and grappled with questions of religious faith and the afterlife. Notable works include:

• Essays: The Life of Don Quixote and Sancho, The Tragic Sense of Life
• Novels: Mist, Aunt Tula, Abel Sanchez, Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr

Pío Baroja (1872-1956)

Born in San Sebastián, Baroja studied medicine in Madrid but ultimately dedicated himself to journalism and literature. In 1935, he became a member of the Royal Spanish Academy. After a brief exile in France, he returned to Madrid, where he led a quiet life. Baroja was a prolific novelist known for his strong characters and realistic, engaging stories set in believable locations. His philosophical concerns, including the hostile nature of the world and the individual’s struggle against it, are central to his work. His notable trilogies include:

• The Basque Country: The House of Aizgorri, The Lord of Labraz, Zalacaín the Adventurer
• The Race: The Wandering Deam, The City of Fog, The Tree of Knowledge
• The Struggle for Life: The Search, The Weed, Red Dawn

Baroja’s writing is characterized by its natural plasticity and vividness.

Ramón del Valle-Inclán (1866-1936)

Born in Villanueva de Arosa, Valle-Inclán traveled to Mexico, where he encountered Modernism. Upon returning to Spain, he settled in Madrid and later lived in France as a war correspondent. He eventually returned to Madrid to teach at the School of Fine Arts and was appointed director of the Spanish Academy in Rome. In 1935, he returned to Galicia, where he died. A versatile writer, Valle-Inclán excelled in poetry, novels, and plays. He began his career within the Modernist movement and wrote the Sonatas (four poetic novels depicting decadence). His most famous character is the Marquis de Bradomín, an ugly, Catholic, and sentimental Don Juan figure. Valle-Inclán’s significance lies in his creation of the esperpento, a literary style that combines grotesque humor with social criticism. He distorts reality, analyzing characters who lose their humanity and become animalistic, while objects and things are personified. By blending vulgarity with poetic language, he denounces the social and political realities of Spain. Notable works include:

• Plays: Bohemian Lights, Divine Words, Don Friolera’s Horns
• Novels: The Iberian Ring, Tyrant Banderas

Divine Words, considered his first esperpento, is set in rural Galicia and depicts a dehumanized world driven by lust and greed.

Generation of ’98 vs. Modernism

While both the Generation of ’98 and Modernism emerged in the same period, they differed in their focus and style: