Spanish Poetry Evolution: 1940s to 1970s
The 1940s
The Spanish Civil War marked a decisive break in all aspects of the intellectual and artistic life of Spain. The consequences of the conflict and the subsequent dictatorship include the death of some writers and the exile of many others, besides the division of poetry into two streams, differentiated by the ethical principles and style of their creators.
Spanish poetry developed in:
- Spain: Poets of the Generation of ’27 continued to write, in addition to those of the Generation of ’36 who had already written before the war.
- Exile: An overlap of generations of poetry, represented by some of the Generation of ’27.
Poets in Spain
There are two different lines in terms of topics, style, and the ethical position of the poets, although it is true that they both continue the rehumanizing line.
Rooted Poetry
Sympathetic to the new regime, the young people who cultivated it were known as the Garcilaso poets. Garcilaso de la Vega became a model for these authors because of his dual character as a poet and imperial soldier.
The themes are love, family, and Catholic faith. They follow a style that primarily seeks formal beauty and perfection in sonnets of sober and balanced language. The most prominent representative of this trend was Luis Rosales.
Uprooted Poetry
The work of Damaso Alonso, “Children of Wrath,” is the starting point of this trend. It is linked to the theater and existentialist novel, whose members see the world as a chaos of anguish, without meaning or harmony.
The result is a realistic novel, whose themes focus on determining the meaning of human existence. These themes reflect a style that seeks a highly expressive form. The most prominent representative of this trend was Alonso, considered a member of the Generation of ’27. His poems show an obsessive and torn language, a drama of questions directed to God about the human condition.
The Group Song
This Cordovan group, formed in 1947, considered themselves heirs to the Generation of ’27, especially of Luis Cernuda. They cultivated a refined and sensual aesthetic, whose subjects are almost always intimate.
Poets in Exile
Most intellectuals were sympathetic to the Republican side, so they were forced into exile.
Common topics include the lost homeland, the memory of the fight and defeat, and criticism of the dictator and his regime.
Prominent poets in exile include Antonio Machado, Juan Ramón Jiménez, and most of the writers of the Generation of ’27.
The 1950s
Uprooted poetry from the 1940s led to social poetry, due to the collective approach that gives the problem of human existence. The incorporation of the prevailing injustice in the country continued with the pre-war rehumanizing current.
For these authors, poetry was a means of communication that sought to address the masses and be a tool of social transformation. This held the hope for a better future. They adopted a more plain and conventional language.
The 1960s
The depletion of social poetry formulas led to the emergence of a poetic line of solidarity and social commitment, but also adopting an ethical commitment to human beings.
Topics addressed include time, friendship, love, and everyday life, which will lead to the poetry of experience. They follow a style with a personal language and a warm and friendly tone.