Noucentisme, Avant-Garde & Spanish Literary Movements

Posted on Oct 5, 2024 in Latin

Noucentisme

Noucentisme proclaims the need for intellectual rigor to find rational solutions to Spain’s problems while proposing innovative artistic ideals.

Key Features of Noucentisme

  • European Influence: Europe embodies the values of rationality and modernity.
  • Anti-romanticism: Sense and balance should prevail over the emotional sensitivity of earlier writers.
  • Artistic Purity: It considers Modernism superficial and rejects the passion of the Generation of ’98 for lacking intellectual rigor.
  • Intellectual Rigor: Writers are educated professionals, guided by academic rigor, not bohemian ideals.

Stages of Juan Ramón Jiménez

  • Sensitive Era (1900-1914): Jiménez practiced intimate Modernism inspired by Bécquer and Rubén Darío. Themes include love, nostalgia, and the fear of death. The poetic style is rich with imagery inspired by nature.
  • Intellectual Era (1917-1936): Marked by a break with Modernism and the emergence of “pure poetry.” This style uses symbolism to express abstract ideas, emphasizing harmony between self and world. Free verse, adjectives, and sensory images characterize this period.
  • True Era (1936-1954): This era extends the themes of the previous one, focusing on eternity and beauty as the essence of the world. A central image of God represents the world’s perfection and harmony.

Key Works of José Ortega y Gasset

  • The Dehumanization of Art
  • The Revolt of the Masses
  • Invertebrate Spain
  • The Theme of Our Time

The Dehumanization of Art argues that art should not reflect everyday concerns and emotions but offer a model of reality, turning life into art.

Novels of Gabriel Miró

Miró’s novels are original, with minimal plot and a focus on evocative poetic descriptions. Key works include:

  • Our Father Saint Daniel
  • The Leper Bishop

Troteras y Danzaderas by Ramón Pérez de Ayala

This autobiographical work features characters representing influential writers of the time. Ayala practices ironic realism, satirizing literary circles.

  • Belarmino and Apolonio
  • Tiger Juan
  • The Healer of His Honor
  • The Work of Urbano and Simona

Greguerías by Ramón Gómez de la Serna

Defined as the sum of metaphor and humor, greguerías incorporate sentiment, wit, and surprise.

European Isms

  • Cubism: Uses calligrams to create picture-poems.
  • Futurism: Emphasizes the beauty of machines and technology.
  • Dadaism: Offers humorous, illogical, and free literary expression.
  • Expressionism: Presents a pessimistic and tragic vision of reality.
  • Surrealism: A revolutionary movement employing automatic writing to explore the subconscious.

Avant-Garde in Spain

The avant-garde movement in Spain, spearheaded by Ramón Gómez de la Serna, aimed to refresh European artistic concerns.

Ultraism and Creationism

Ultraism defends absolute freedom in artistic creation. It utilizes calligrams, eliminates punctuation, and incorporates futuristic themes.

Poetic Career of the Generation of ’27

  • Pure Poetry (1927): Characterized by formal requirements, dehumanized and abstract poems.
  • Surrealism (1930): Influenced by automatic writing, exploring the subconscious and incorporating irony.
  • Civil War and Exile: Pain, anger, and exile shaped the poetry of this period.

Works of Pedro Salinas

  • Fable and Sign
  • The Voice Due to You

Works of Jorge Guillén

  • Cántico
  • Clamor

Works of Vicente Aleixandre

  • Swords Like Lips
  • Shadow of Paradise
  • Story of the Heart
  • Dialogues of Knowledge

Works of Luis Cernuda

  • Profile of Air
  • Where Oblivion Dwells
  • Desolation of the Chimera

Poetic Biography of Federico García Lorca (1898-1936)

Lorca’s literature blends Andalusian folk traditions with literary influences. His poetic lines include:

  • Revitalization of tradition
  • Incorporation of surrealism
  • Search for inner balance

Gypsy Ballads

This collection of 18 ballads features marginalized gypsies representing the Andalusian spirit. Themes include dissatisfaction, love, and death.

Neopopularism

Characterized by short compositions, simple verses, choruses, lyrical intensity, and repetition.

Rafael Alberti

Alberti’s early work, like Sailor on Land, reflects neopopularism. Later works, such as Above the Angels, show surrealist influences. His exile poetry evokes a nostalgic longing for Spain, notably in Between the Carnation and the Sword.