Romanticism in Spain: Literature, Prose, Drama, and Key Authors
Romanticism in Spain
Romanticism was an ideological and cultural movement whose roots are in the 17th-century ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and bourgeois liberalism. In Spain, this movement arrived somewhat late.
Characteristics of Romanticism
Romanticism was not just a cultural or literary movement; it was an attitude towards life. Its traits include:
- The yearning for freedom and rejection of any rules: abandonment of the rule of the three unities, use of polimetry in poetry, and a mixture of genres.
- Individualism and Subjectivism: Literature focuses on the “I” and a subjective position. The clash between ideals and reality leads to dissatisfaction and melancholy.
- Nationalism.
Topics in Romantic Literature
The most important topics are:
- The writer’s ego and feelings of melancholy dominate. Idealized love, the solitude of an impossible ideal, etc.
- Rebellion or Evasion: The ideal faces a hostile reality, causing two different positions: protest and rebellion, or escape. The first celebrates freedom and marginalized characters, recovering the past. Evasion leads to exotic places.
- Nature: We find an agitated nature (storms, raging seas) and melancholy landscapes reflected in sad, mournful, and mysterious nights.
- Supernatural: Macabre burial environments and all references to death are present.
Romantic Prose
Four genres are included:
- Costumbrismo: These paintings portray the reality of customs and popular traditions. They were published in newspapers.
- Historical Fiction: The most representative works are The Lord of Bembibre by Enrique Gil y Carrasco, The Youth of Henry the Mourner by Larra, and Sancho Saldaña by Espronceda.
- Legends: The most important author is Bécquer. He recreated legends combining romantic and loving themes. Some are mysterious and supernatural: The Moonlight, The Hill of the Spirits, and Maese Pérez the Organist.
- Newspaper Articles: The most important author is Mariano José de Larra.
Mariano José de Larra: Classification and Style of His Articles
Larra shows a critical and reforming attitude, with a desire to modernize and Europeanize Spain, along with his liberal spirit. His articles are classified according to the topic as follows:
- Articles of Customs: Critical of the uses and customs of Spanish society, such as the lack of education, laziness, and barbaric entertainment. He analyzes the causes and consequences of behavior.
- Political Articles: He opposes Carlism, absolutism, and intransigence, and expresses support for the advancement of tolerance and freedom.
- Articles of Literary Criticism: He shows a romantic approach to theater innovations, supporting and defending the freedom of the writer. His style is notable for his language ability and the use of irony.
The Romantic Drama
Romantic drama is one of the most important genres. Its features include:
- Formal Elements: It cherishes freedom, inspired by the romantic desire to break with neoclassicism.
- Characters: Importance is given to the protagonist, the romantic hero or heroine.
- The fundamental topic is love.
- The issue of freedom becomes an important issue.
Don Álvaro, or the Force of Fate
It combines prose and verse, with genre scenes. As in the rest of romantic drama, it does not respect the unity of action, alternating different places. The action takes five years, and love is the central theme.
Don Juan Tenorio
Besides cultivating verse drama, Zorrilla also wrote narrative poems inspired by the theatrical tradition. His broad production includes Don Juan Tenorio. This story meets the romantic ingredients: the mysterious character of the heroine, sweet love, death, duels, a sepulchral atmosphere, etc. It is divided into two parts, spanning five years, and the action lasts one night.