Post-War Galician Narrative (1975)
Introduction
The Spanish Civil War significantly impacted Galician literature. Similar to other artistic fields, the narrative in the Galician language experienced a resurgence after the war. This revival, led by authors like Carvalho Calero, Álvaro Cunqueiro, and Xosé Neira Vilas, marked a significant turning point in Galician literary history.
Early Voices
Carvalho Calero and Álvaro Cunqueiro were among the first to reignite the flame of Galician prose. Works like Scrambled Eggs and Merlin and Family stand out as important contributions to Portuguese literature. However, the conditions for prose development were challenging, and a genuine dialogue between authors was slow to emerge.
Xosé Neira Vilas
Neira Vilas, with his distinct perspective and technical innovations, emerged in the 1960s. Coming from a peasant family and having emigrated to Argentina and Cuba, his work reflects these experiences. Memoirs of a Peasant Boy, Letters to Léo, and The Years of the Stool explore the social, economic, and cultural oppression of Galician peasant life through a child’s eyes. His later works, such as Emigration and Whirl of Shadows, showcase his social commitment and innovative use of language.
Álvaro Cunqueiro’s Narrative
Cunqueiro’s prose is divided into two main groups. The first comprises novels like Merlin and Family, The Chronicles of Sochantre, and If the Old Sinbad Returns to the Islands. While distinct, these works share common characteristics, including the use of interspersed stories within the main narrative and a fantastical, otherworldly setting.
The second group includes School of Menciñeiros, People From Here and There, and Other Merchants. These form a unified work exploring anthropological themes. Cunqueiro utilizes colloquial language and draws characters from Galician folklore and rural life, following a distinct narrative scheme.
Love White’s Novels
Agostinho Gomes, known as Love White, made significant contributions to Galician literature with novels like A Esmorga and People From Afar. Both works incorporate modern techniques, portray working-class protagonists in urban settings (specifically Lisbon), and offer a complex depiction of society at the time through rich language and character development.
Short Stories
Love White also wrote short stories, often narrated in the first person, featuring child or adolescent protagonists in urban environments. These stories explore themes of family dynamics, alienation, and the search for identity.