Rafael Alberti & Luis Cernuda: A Poetic Journey
Rafael Alberti
Biography
Born in Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz), Rafael Alberti soon moved to Madrid with his family. His first poems blended avant-garde, traditional lyricism, and influences from Bécquer. He befriended Lorca, Dalí, and Buñuel during his time at the Residencia de Estudiantes. In 1925, he shared the National Prize for Literature with Gerardo Diego for Marinero en tierra. A sentimental crisis arose in 1927, but three years later, he met María Teresa León, who became his lifelong companion. During the Spanish Civil War, he sided with the Republicans and, after the war’s end, moved to Paris before settling in Argentina. In the 1950s, he traveled through Latin America, Russia, and China, finally returning to Spain in 1977, where he remained until his death.
Poetic Work
Alberti’s poetry explored diverse themes and styles. His work served as a unique form of communication, allowing him to express life experiences through recurring motifs:
- Nostalgia for a lost paradise: This includes love and longing for friends.
- Distress caused by the loss of this paradise.
- Social commentary: Reflecting the situation in Spain and its impact on individuals.
His poetry, while evolving, maintained certain constants: vivid imagery, musicality, and rich connotations. His metrics ranged from popular forms to avant-garde verse. Several phases distinguish his poetic trajectory:
- Neopopularista Phase: Works like Marinero en tierra evoke a nostalgic longing for childhood and the sea. La amante reflects impressions from a journey through Castile and the Basque Country with his brother. El alba del alhelí draws from experiences in Rute, Andalusia.
- Baroque and Ultraist Influences: Cal y canto showcases baroque themes and techniques, alongside influences from Ultraism.
- Surrealist Poetry: Sobre los ángeles marks a significant shift, exploring a personal crisis filled with suffering and disease. This complex work paved the way for his socially and politically engaged poetry of the 1930s, utilizing free verse.
- Committed Poetry: Works like Con los zapatos puestos tengo que morir and El poeta en la calle reflect his commitment to social concerns and the poet’s role in society, influenced by his Communist Party membership.
- Poetry in Exile: Exile brought new themes, including longing for his homeland and adapting to new cultural environments. While works like Coplas de Juan Panadero retain a combative spirit, his later work, such as Entre el clavel y la espada and Arboleda perdida, shifts from socio-political concerns towards a more introspective and baroque style.
Luis Cernuda
Biography
Born in Seville in 1902, Luis Cernuda later moved to Madrid to study law. He supported the Republic during the Civil War and went into exile, eventually settling in the United States and Mexico. Largely forgotten until the 1960s, he reemerged as an influential figure for young poets. His homosexuality profoundly impacted both his personal life and poetic sensibility.
Poetic Work
Cernuda’s poetry, unified under the title La realidad y el deseo, revolves around the romantic struggle between aspirations and their unattainable nature, often in conflict with the surrounding world. Key works within this collection include:
- Un río, un amor: Shows early surrealist influences, evoking a past time and rebelling against social injustices that hinder love.
- Donde habite el olvido: A more intimate work exploring the bitter experience of heartbreak.
His sensitive personality and struggles with adapting to different environments deeply marked his work.