Key Literary Movements: 1898-1927
Key Features of the Generation of ’98
The Generation of ’98 was characterized by several key features:
- Exaltation of antisocial behavior: A protest against established norms. Artists embraced a bohemian lifestyle.
- Irrationalism: A rejection of rationalistic positivism, favoring intuition and the exploration of inner states. Influenced by Nietzsche and Freud, it manifested in literature as an opposition to Naturalism.
- Pre-Raphaelite Influence: In England, a school emerged that emphasized the Middle Ages. In fine arts, exuberance manifested in decoration and sinuous floral forms.
- Parnassianism: Focused on “art for art’s sake,” drawing inspiration from ancient cultures and exoticism, with a strong emphasis on formal beauty.
- Symbolism: Authors turned their attention to the irrational and the spiritual reality behind appearances. This is evident in Machado’s poetry, where he expresses his anguish at the passing of time or death.
- Impressionism: Sought to represent reality through highlights, selecting what the author considered most relevant. In writing, it favored short sentences.
Marqués de Santillana (1388-1458)
Born in Palencia in 1388, Íñigo López de Mendoza, Marquis of Santillana, was a prominent figure in 15th-century Spain. After his father’s early death, he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He actively participated in the politics of his time, sometimes alongside King John II of Castile and sometimes against him. His involvement in several battles, notably the Battle of Olmedo, earned him the title of Marquis of Santillana and Count of Manzanares.
Later, he retired to his palace in Guadalajara, where he died in 1458. Besides being a skilled politician and warrior, he was a highly cultured man, possessing one of the best libraries of his time. He is considered the first poet of the 15th century, renowned for his serranillas, dezires, and songs. His major works include Comedieta de Ponza, Bias contra fortuna, his Proverbs, and numerous sonnets in the Italian style.
Noucentisme: Characteristics and Movements
Noucentisme was an early 20th-century Catalan cultural and political movement. The characteristics of Noucentisme are mostly linked to its intellectuals, whose formation resulted from educational reforms. One of their goals was to send young people abroad to complete their training. Key features include:
- Academic Focus: Authors shared similar ages and a conscious sense of belonging to a distinct group.
- Intellectual Rigor: A commitment to intellectualism, rejecting subjectivism and separating life from literature.
- Classical Balance: A pursuit of formal balance and a refined, carefully crafted style, avoiding carelessness.
- Symbolism: The use of symbolism to refine sentimentalism.
- European and Universal Ideology: A preference for the European and universal over the local. These authors believed that intellectual knowledge unites people in the realm of the objective, rational, and scientific.
- The Essay: The characteristic literary genre of this stage was the essay.
Avant-Garde Movements
Several avant-garde trends emerged during this period, the most prominent being:
- Futurism: Originated in Italy with F.T. Marinetti’s manifesto, advocating for freedom of speech to capture the speed of modern life.
- Cubism: Initiated by painters like Picasso, it later extended to literature through the French writer Apollinaire. It involved breaking down reality and merging different art forms, leading to the creation of calligrams.
- Dadaism: Valued the expression of words for their sound rather than their meaning.
- Surrealism: Aimed to reveal the actual functioning of thought in the absence of rational control. It sought to express the subconscious through automatic writing, allowing the writer to bridge the gap between different planes of reality.