Romanticism in Spain: Literature, Prose, and Drama

Romanticism: A Cultural and Artistic Movement

Romanticism was a cultural and artistic movement that emerged in Germany and England in the late 18th and 19th centuries. This movement marked the beginning of modernity and, in complex ways, laid the foundation of the ideology of the bourgeois liberal state.

Key Features of Romanticism

  1. Freedom and Individualism: Romanticism emphasized the importance of individual freedom and affirmed its supreme value: moral, political, and artistic freedom.
  2. Subjectivity and Sentiment: It promoted a subjective conception of reality, focusing on the inner world of the Romantic self.
  3. Existential Anguish: The yearning for freedom and the ideal of happiness and fulfillment collided with reality. The Romantic expressed their existential angst through melancholy.
  4. Historicism and Nationalism: Romantics emphasized the historical character of artistic works, showing a penchant for the past.
  5. Escape from Reality and Irrationalism: The Middle Ages served as a backdrop for the expression of ideals, a rejection of reality, as did exotic places and Eastern cultures. Avoidance was manifested through fantasy: the choice of horrific or fantastic motifs, the night, and a taste for the grim and macabre.

Romantic Prose in Spain

1. The Novel

  • Historical Novel: Set in the medieval era, recreating an idealized and heroic world. Examples include The Lord of Bembibre by Gil y Carrasco, Enrique the Infirm by Larra, and Sancho Saldaña by Espronceda. In modern times, The 2nd of May by Juan Ariza.
  • Social Novel: Mary, the Daughter of a Laborer by Ayguals de Izco, reflects the conditions of the proletariat without delving into deep issues.

2. Costumbrismo

Flourishing from 1830, Costumbrismo was the realm of journalism. Several texts took the form of articles or “pictures of manners,” offering descriptive texts of types, environments, and scenes, reflecting different aspects of society at the time. Among the most outstanding authors are Mesonero Romanos with Matritenses Scenes and Estébanez Calderón with Andalusian Scenes. However, Mariano José de Larra stands out. He is considered the creator of the literary article in Spain. His articles were published under the title Collection of Dramatic, Literary, Political, and Customs Articles.

  • Customs Articles: Critically analyze reality and propose reforms for a free and educated society.
  • Political Articles: Reflect his liberal ideology and address the issue of freedom of expression and censorship.
  • Literary Criticism Articles: Reflect on the author’s plays, texts, and performances, as well as educating the public.

Larra, who signed with pseudonyms, used dialogue between characters, between the narrator and the reader, or even the exchange of letters. Concerned about proofreading, he used a simple and direct style without forgetting literary devices such as exaggeration, irony, metaphors, comparisons, puns, and idioms.

Romantic Drama in Spain

In general, the works are divided into days (between one and seven), mix verse and prose, break the rule of the three unities, and blend comic and tragic scenes, combining lyricism with slang and folkloric styles. After numerous supporting roles, which contribute to the setting, the Romantic leading man is a victim of fate, and the lady, doomed to suffering, loves passionately until slaughter. The staging has detailed and descriptive dimensions with lighting effects, sound, and spectacular scenery.

The major themes of the drama are fate, passionate love, revenge, bloody externals, power and authority, adultery, and suicide. Even apart from the rules, melodramatic and fantastic elements are present.

Notable works include:

  • Macías by Larra
  • A Conspiracy of Venice by Martínez de la Rosa
  • Don Álvaro, or the Force of Fate by the Duke of Rivas
  • El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez
  • The Lovers of Teruel by Hartzenbusch
  • Don Juan Tenorio by José Zorrilla