Modernist Catalan Literature: A Survey of Poetry, Theatre, and Narrative
Modernist Catalan Literature:
A survey of its major genres and authors.
Poetry, Theatre, and Narrative
Modernist Catalan literature flourished through three major genres: poetry, theatre, and narrative. These genres explored themes of regeneration, societal critique, and individual identity.
Theatre
Modernist theatre in Catalonia encompassed several movements, each with its unique characteristics and aims.
Regeneracionisme
Regeneracionisme plays, such as Enchanted Waters and The Woman in Love, emphasized the idea of vitality and regeneration, exploring how knowledge advances and transforms society.
Theatre of Symbolism
Symbolist theatre aimed to change society through art, blending literature, music, and visual arts. The audience experienced three art forms in a single work.
- Lalegria Happens (Rusiñol): Integrated diverse styles with a poetic sensibility.
- Santiago Rusiñol: A multifaceted artist, Rusiñol contributed to theatre, novels, and painting. His play, The Tale of Mr. Stephen, reflects his bohemian period.
- Adrià Gual: A significant theatre director who showcased innovative works.
These plays aimed to make viewers reflect on human existence, portraying characters grappling with life’s challenges and societal hypocrisy. The focus was on individual and societal regeneration, encouraging critical thought rather than mere entertainment.
- Joan Ferrater: Enchanted Waters (abandoned superstitions), The Lady in Love (personal fulfillment).
Bohemia represented an artistic rebellion against societal norms, leading artists to dedicate their lives solely to art.
Narrative
Modernist Catalan narrative focused on individual regeneration and paradigmatic works.
The main idea was that humans, possessing knowledge and freedom, can achieve independence.
- Jehoshaphat: Explored strong sexual tension and the violation of human boundaries.
- Raymond Lull: The Fierce Games depicted a population living in caves, resisting modernization.
- Victor Català: (1869-1966) Known for his short stories set in the countryside and his novel, Solitude, which portrays a woman’s struggle to maintain her identity in a wild environment.
- Joaquim Ruyra: (1869-1939) Employed elaborate language to convey poetic beauty.
Noucentisme
Noucentisme was a broad political and cultural movement aiming to build an ideal Catalonia.
This movement encompassed political, intellectual, and artistic endeavors to establish a Catalan nation and its ideal society.
- Enric Prat de la Riba: A politician who promoted the movement and advocated for language standardization.
- Pompeu Fabra: An engineer and biologist who contributed significantly to Catalan language standardization.
- Eugeni d’Ors: A philosopher who defined Noucentisme ideology through his writings.
- Josep Carner: A poet who used his work to promote Noucentisme ideals. His works include:
- The Delicious Fruit (1906): Explored the connection between fruit and the life of a woman.
- Fans and Doggerel (1914): A collection of circumstantial poems.
- Word of the Wind (1914): A reflection on poetic creation.
Carner’s poetry initially reflected optimism for societal change, promoting the dignity of the Catalan language. He collaborated with Pompeu Fabra in standardizing the lexicon, spreading it through his poems. However, by 1920, his optimism waned, leading to a more symbolist and introspective phase.
The Choir Still reflects feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. After leaving Catalonia in 1921, Carner’s later works, such as Nabi (1941), explored metaphysical and religious themes.