Ramon Llull, Ausias March, and the Catalan Noucentisme

Posted on Feb 26, 2025 in Philology

Ramon Llull: Ideology and Objectives

A key feature of Ramon Llull’s work is the extraordinary consistency of his thought. His objectives included:

  1. Composing a philosophical system based on reason.
  2. Combating the errors of unbelievers.
  3. Exerting missionary work.
  4. Persuading Christian kings to create schools for preachers where they could learn languages and arts.

Llull’s Art is a logical system that aims to prove the dogmas of the Christian faith through reason.

Language and Rhetoric

Llull wrote in several languages. He emphasized the study of liberal arts:

  • The Trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric)
  • The Quadrivium (arithmetic, astronomy, music, and geometry)
  • Natural philosophy (biology)
  • Moral philosophy (ethics)

Llull studied Latin and Arabic, recognizing their importance for communication. He wrote major works in Catalan, an innovation as universities typically used Latin. Llull’s lexicon was limited, with few Provençal influences.

Works

Notable works include: Life of Peers, EvasT Book, and On Aloma of Blanquerna Son.

Ausias March: Poetry

Features

  • Use of Catalan as a literary language.
  • Progressive substitution of the Occitan language.
  • Fidelity to the structure of the cançó (song) of the troubadours.
  • Decasyllabic stanzas of eight verses and a chorus of four verses.
  • Use of comparisons from images from different places.

Three functions of the comparisons:

  1. Emotional
  2. Persuasive
  3. Demonstrative

Structure of Comparisons

  • 8 verses with a caesura (4 + 6).
  • Versos estrams: decasyllabic, classic medieval free or blank verses.
  • Signals: overlaps the name of the lady.

March was influenced by Petrarch and Dante, especially Petrarch, as Dante and March’s poetry was more medieval.

Noucentisme

Noucentisme had the support of the bourgeoisie and aimed to create a perfect Catalan society.

Founding Date: 1906

  • Prat de la Riba published La nacionalitat catalana (The Catalan Nationality).
  • Eugeni d’Ors started a section called Glosari (Glossary) in the newspaper La Veu de Catalunya, which promoted the movement’s doctrine.
  • Les fruites saboroses (The Tasty Fruits) by Josep Carner and Horacianes by Miquel Costa i Llobera were published.
  • The first International Congress of the Catalan Language was celebrated.

The movement dissolved in 1920.

Aesthetics and Ideology

Noucentisme was a totalizing project that sought to transform Catalan society and align it with the ideal created by Prat de la Riba and other intellectuals. It aimed to modernize Catalonia and regenerate the State.

Arbitrarisme

Arbitrarisme (arbitrary model) was based on creating a model Catalonia.

Civility

Catalonia was envisioned as the ideal city, drawing on Greco-Roman ideals.

Classicism

Noucentisme favored Apollo over Dionysus.

Poetry of Noucentisme

Poetry was the favorite genre. Influences included Parnassianism and Symbolism.

  • Objectivity and a tendency towards synthesis
  • Attraction to classicizing poetry
  • Idyllic interpretation of nature

Notable figures include Carles Riba, Josep Carner, Clementina Arderiu, Guerau de Liost, Jaume Bofill i Mates, and Josep López Picó.

Josep Carner

Introduction

Carner showed Modernist and Verdaguerian influences (Llibre dels poetes, his first book of sonnets).

Noucentista Stage

Consolidation as a poet with Les fruites saboroses (Tasty Fruits).

Crisis, Discovery, and Noucentista Aesthetics

Post-symbolism: humanization of poetry, interest in, and contemplation of simple things.