Spanish Poetry: 20th Century to Post-War Era
This period encompasses diverse literary movements and figures. To present an organized view of the poetry of this era, we propose the following literary moments:
- Renewal of lyric.
- Turn-of-the-century poetry: literary vanguard, Juan Ramón Jiménez, and Generation of ’27.
- Poetry marked by war.
Modernism and Generation of ’98
Modernism is an artistic movement that emerged in Europe and America during the late 19th century in response to the crisis of the century. Poetry emerged with the goal of formal renewal. It acknowledges preceding trends, such as the mystery of Romanticism, the formal perfection of Parnassianism, and the power of Symbolism. Rubén Darío was its predecessor.
The Generation of ’98 comprises Spanish writers who shared the experience of the late-century crisis in Spain following the disaster of 1898. This led writers of this generation to seek the decadent, express pessimism, melancholy, or spiritualism. The poetic genre found its greatest exponent in Machado, an unclassified figure where life and work are inseparable. Miguel de Unamuno also shared this path to renewal.
Juan Ramón Jiménez, Vanguard, and Generation of ’27
Juan Ramón Jiménez is considered the father of modern poetry and a perfecter of avant-garde trends. We can distinguish three stages in his poetry:
- Sensitive Poetry: Arias Tristes.
- Intellectual Poetry: Diary of a Newlywed Poet.
- True Poetry: Third Anthology of Poetry.
“Vanguard” means innovative and modern. As an artistic movement, it refers to the artistic experiments that emerged in Europe between the wars, with the common goal of innovating in the arts and destroying remnants of previous literature and arts. The first European avant-garde movement was Futurism, followed by Expressionism and Cubism, then Dadaism and Surrealism. Ultraism was a Hispanic avant-garde movement. Creation came at the hands of Spanish and Latin American poets like Vicente Huidobro.
The Generation of ’27 designates a group of poets who reached maturity around 1925. They published their first works around this time and gathered to celebrate the centenary of Góngora’s death. Members of this generation followed similar paths: initially seeking pure and popular poetry, later evolving into Surrealism. Pedro Salinas explored the theme of love in his poems. Jorge Guillén is known for his optimistic expression of poetry. Vicente Aleixandre’s poetry explores communication between nature and man. Federico García Lorca is one of the most representative poets of ’27, combining popular and avant-garde influences. Rafael Alberti addressed political issues. Luis Cernuda’s poetry is collected in Reality and Desire.
Poetry Marked by War
Miguel Hernández is an unclassifiable writer, important as a bridge between the Generation of ’27 and post-war poets. He was self-taught. His notable works include:
- Expert in Moons
- The Lightning Continues
- Winds of the People
- Songbook and Ballads of Absences
After the Civil War (1936-1939), those who remained in Spain, like society, were divided. Supporters of the regime were on one side, and writers of the defeated side were on the other. Around the 1950s, there was a desire to provide critical testimony from reality. From the 1960s to 1970s, slight economic improvements and cultural liberalization allowed Spanish intellectuals to connect with new foreign ideological currents.