Juan Ramon Jimenez and the Avant-Garde: A Study of Poetic Evolution
Juan Ramon Jimenez: A Poetic Journey
Juan Ramon Jimenez‘s poetry resists easy categorization into movements or trends, though his early works show a clear influence of modernism. His poetry is characterized by a formal concern and the pursuit of perfection, simplicity, and beauty. The poet seeks the purity of lyric expression, for which his writing is devoid of adjectives, rhetoric, and artifice. Juan Ramon aspires to a pure poetry that becomes the expression of self and knowledge of a transcendent truth. Juan Ramon Jimenez defines his poetic endeavor: “I have hidden in my house, for your liking and mine, to poetry. And our relationship is that of passionate.” He pursued a perfect work, one that contains supreme beauty. This desire led to a constant revision of his writing, which only ended with his death.
Three Stages of Poetic Career
His poetic career can be divided into three stages:
- Sensory (1900-1925): His early compositions show a romantic and intimate turn, influenced by the poetry of Bécquer. After his meeting with Ruben Dario, he incorporated modernist features, including arias, pastoral themes, and metrically dominated octosyllabic assonance and rhyme. From 1908, he moved away from the loudness and modernist ornamentation. His works reflect simplicity, and the poet uses endecasyllables and Alexandrine verses. Examples include The Murmuring Solitude and Spiritual Sonnets.
- Intellectual (1926-1936): Also known as pure or naked poetry. His compositions are purged of all superfluous items and anecdotes. He is interested in finding the exact name of things, such as Dario, a Newlywed, and Beauty.
- Sufficient (1936-1958): Characterized by reaching the maximum purification of transcendence. The poet identifies with God, the creator of a poetic universe. He uses free verse and gives rhythm through the repetition of sounds, words, and syntactic structures. Themes include the animal background and a desired and desiring God.
The Avant-Garde Movements
The Vanguards: In the second decade of the 20th century, Modernist poetry no longer met the spirit of rapid change experienced by mankind. This period saw a radical renewal known as the avant-garde or ‘isms,’ one of the most creative and groundbreaking moments in art history. Common features of these movements include:
- Desire for experimentation and novelty in art, using new resources.
- Fascination with technology. Technological advances are incorporated into art. Poetry worships speed and machines.
- Universal vocation. Artists aspire to universal works that transcend local barriers and can be understood in all cultures.
- New conception of reality. This depends on the perception of each author, their view, and interpretation of the world around them.
Most Influential Movements in Spain
The most influential movements in Spain were ultraism, creationism, and especially surrealism.
Key Trends:
- Ultraism: The most genuinely Spanish movement. Its biggest supporter was Guillermo de Torre. It defends the modern lexicon, the suppression of rhyme, punctuation, and unnecessary adjectives.
- Creationism: Introduced in Spain by Vicente Huidobro. The poet is a creator of worlds, and poetry should be independent of nature.
- Surrealism: Attempts to express thought without the control of reason, morality, or aesthetic norms. It also proposed to free speech, practicing automatic writing and transcribing dreams with unrelated structures.
More experimental avant-garde writers include Juan Larrea, Gerardo Diego, and Guillermo de Torre. Ramon Gomez de la Serna is highlighted for his greguerias.