Mercè Rodoreda, Quim Monzó, and Catalan Literature
Mercè Rodoreda’s *Aloma* and Literary Context
Mercè Rodoreda’s *Aloma* (1937) was written before and revised after the Spanish Civil War (up to 1958), reflecting a period of rebuilding lives. Rodoreda’s stories often blend reality with a unique, personal world. The work can be seen in two blocks: realistic and non-realistic. When the “mirror breaks,” all realities are revealed.
Rodoreda’s other notable works include *The Time of the Doves* (*La plaça del diamant*, 1962). The protagonist, Colometa, experiences both triumph and loss. *Broken Mirror* (*Mirall Trencat*) is a novel that pays tribute to the 19th century. The character Armanda breaks a mirror that initially focuses on a single reality, but its shattering reveals many facets of life.
Catalan Literature in the 1930s
The 1930s were a period of significant literary production in Catalonia, marked by Modernism and followed by Noucentisme (a poetic movement that sought to create an ideal, “well-made” literature). Several important authors emerged during this Republican era, contributing to the psychological novel, a genre popular in Europe at the time:
- Josep Maria Sagarra (*Vida privada*, 1932)
- Miquel Llor (*Laura a la ciutat dels sants*, 1931)
- Carles Soldevila (*Fanny*, 1929; *Valentina*, 1939)
- Mercè Rodoreda (*Aloma*, 1937)
The 20th-century Modernist novel often explored themes of loneliness and the individual’s struggle against societal forces. The narrative treatment often combined naturalist and symbolist elements, featuring interior monologues.
Pere Calders and Quim Monzó
Pere Calders’s first collection of stories, *El primer arlequí*, appeared in 1936. His work is characterized by humor and irony, used to examine everyday situations that evolve into the absurd.
Quim Monzó is a prominent post-war writer. His first novel was published in 1976, followed by the short story collection *Uf, va dir ell* in 1978. Monzó is a minimalist, *costumista* (focused on everyday life) author. He offers an essentialist description of the contemporary world, centering on human relationships and employing a humorous and ironic treatment. Two of his notable works are *Gasoline* (1983), which explores the emptiness of a group of artists in New York, and works influenced by Francesc Trabal and Calders.
The Evolution of the Novel: 19th and 20th Centuries
The 20th century saw a crisis of Naturalism. The 19th century began with Romanticism, which initially sought to approach reality. However, Romanticism often involved an escape into other worlds (medieval, exotic, imaginary). Formally innovative, it explained reality from a different point of view, analyzing the individual’s inner world.
The 20th century brought the theory of relativity and a more complex analysis of reality. Key figures include James Joyce (*Ulysses*) and Marcel Proust (*In Search of Lost Time*). Proust’s work, for example, uses the taste of a madeleine to trigger a flood of memories, employing an omniscient narrator. The Modernist novel often confronted the determinism of earlier literary movements, focusing on the theme of solitude.
The 19th century was marked by the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. Romanticism’s initial promises led to disillusionment, prompting artists to escape to other worlds. The second half of the century saw the rise of positivism (the belief that only scientifically verifiable knowledge is meaningful) and a renewed focus on reality. The Industrial Revolution impacted the publishing industry, and new social classes emerged. Notable authors of this period include:
- In France: Victor Català, Émile Zola, and Flaubert (*Madame Bovary*)
- In Russia: Tolstoy
- In England: Dickens
Jacint Verdaguer and Catalan Romantic Poetry
Jacint Verdaguer (1845-1902) was a key figure in Catalan Romantic poetry. He became a priest in 1870. Suffering from migraines, he worked as a chaplain on transatlantic ships and wrote *L’Atlàntida* (1874). He traveled to the Holy Land in 1886. Around 1890, he practiced exorcisms and lived with a widow, leading to conflict with the Church. He was stripped of his right to say Mass but defended himself in leftist newspapers in 1895. The Church eventually pardoned him, and he died in 1902.
Émile Zola believed in social change and sought refuge in his bohemian world.
Narcís Oller and the 19th-Century Catalan Novel
Narcís Oller represents the transition from the 19th to the 20th century in Catalan literature, reflecting industrialization. The 19th-century novel moved closer to reality, with novelists immersing themselves in the worlds they depicted. *Costumista* literature (depicting local customs) emerged, alongside historical novels. Emili Vilanova portrayed the *Menestralia* (artisan class) with nostalgia, capturing the essence of *costumista* literature.
Narcís Oller, initially a lawyer who wrote in Spanish, later transitioned to Catalan. His novels, such as *La papallona* (1882) and *L’Escanyapobres*, are known for their reduced scope and a blend of sentimentality and realism.