Spanish Literature: 1950s to Generation of ’27
Spanish Literature: From the 1950s to the Generation of ’27
The Novel of the 1950s: Social Realism
Key Features:
- Literature as a reflection of social situations.
- Aim to raise awareness of social problems.
- Focus on topics such as censorship, poverty, rural life, war, and the civil exodus.
- Narrative style characterized by “objectivism”: limited dialogue and a detached narrator.
- Use of colloquial language.
- Collective protagonist representing the social class.
- Concentration of time and space.
- Structural and stylistic simplicity.
Main Authors:
- Camilo José Cela: The Hive presents the degradation of post-war Spain with a collective protagonist and non-chronological order.
- Miguel Delibes: The Road depicts rural life. Other works include The Heretic and The Rats, showcasing keen observation of reality.
- Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio: Essayist and author of The Jarama, employing objectivist techniques.
The Novel of the 1960s: Experimentalism
This decade begins with Luis Martín Santos’s Time of Silence, initiating a period of more complex novels.
Key Features:
- New narrative perspectives and narrators.
- Use of interior monologue to explore characters in depth.
- Non-chronological order.
- Presence of characters with identity problems.
- The plot becomes less important.
- Renewal of literary language, with copious vocabulary, making for a more challenging read.
Authors:
- Luis Martín Santos: Combined existential concerns with a focus on Spain’s backwardness. His style is dense and refined.
- Camilo José Cela: San Camilo uses interior monologue in the second person, portraying pre-war Madrid.
- Miguel Delibes: Five Hours with Mario features a monologue by Carmen at her husband’s funeral.
- Juan Goytisolo: Marks of Identity explores the search for meaning in life.
- Juan Marsé: Last Evenings with Teresa critiques the Catalan bourgeoisie.
The Novel from 1975 Onward: Return to Traditional Storytelling
A demand for more entertaining novels emerged, leading to varied production without a fixed style.
Key Features:
- Return to a more traditional narrative and plot structure.
- Authors reflect on their personal worlds, familiar spaces, or exotic environments.
- Emphasis on well-written works, without seeking excessive innovation.
- Realistic style with short, clear sentences for easier readability.
Trends and Authors:
- Historical Novel: Eduardo Mendoza’s The Truth About the Savolta Case.
- Intimate Novel: Lyrical recreations of childhood and youth, such as Adelaida García Morales’s The South.
- Neo-realism: Set in familiar areas, like Miguel Delibes’s Diary of a Retiree.
- Detective Novel: Strong intrigue, exemplified by Antonio Muñoz Molina’s Full Moon.
- Political Critique: Novels reflecting ideological disillusionment of the 1980s and 90s, such as Juan Madrid’s Numbered Days.
Generation of ’27 Authors
Key Authors and Works:
- Gerardo Diego: Introduced avant-garde poetry.
- Jorge Guillén: Celebrated the beauty of the world in Cántico and addressed social problems in Clamor.
- Vicente Aleixandre: Nobel Prize winner; saw poetry as a means of merging with creation. Key work: *Swords Like Lips*.
- Rafael Alberti: *Sailor on Land* expresses nostalgia for the sea through neopopularism. *About the Angels* expresses inner anguish, and his later poetry became politically engaged.
- Pedro Salinas: *The Voice Due to You* and *Love Reasons* explore romantic relationships as the meaning of life.
- Luis Cernuda: Focused on themes of love, beauty, and solitude in *Reality and Desire*.
- Dámaso Alonso: *Sons of Wrath* reflects post-war anguish and chaos.
- Emilio Prados: Combined surrealism and tradition, cultivating existential themes in works like *Closed Garden*.