Spanish Poetry: From Modernism to the Generation of ’27
Early 20th Century: Modernism and Novecento
Spanish poetry followed similar steps to the novel: Modernism, Novecento, Avant-garde, and Rehumanization. The influence of Modernism is evident in the first decades of the century, not only in strictly Modernist authors like Manuel Machado but even in poets of the Noventaiochista movement.
Modernism is characterized by the use of aesthetic language, an elaborate and romantic attitude, and an evasion of reality. The most important poet of this stage is Antonio Machado, whose work covers the Modernist influence (Solitudes) and the Noventaiochista (Campos de Castilla). His subjects range from the existential to the social, and he highlights the personal during the 19th century.
Another key figure is Juan Ramón Jiménez. His work defies typecasting: first Modernist, later Symbolist, then Avant-garde. Even after the war, in exile, his work formed the basis of Spanish poetry. Juan Ramón Jiménez understood poetry as a source of knowledge (intelligence), a means to understand reality. This entails a responsibility for the poet, who must assume the role of transmitter of this deeper understanding of reality. On the other hand, poetry is also a path of constant search for beauty. Notable works by Juan Ramón Jiménez include Journal of a Newly Married Poet, which opened the way to pure poetry, and Space, a complex poem in prose.
The Avant-Garde and the Generation of ’27
The first Avant-garde experiments, Creationism and Ultraísmo, are characterized by originality and playfulness with language. Authors like Guillermo de Torre and Juan Larrea are emphasized. The Generation of ’27 corresponds to the best of Avant-garde literature in Spain and the beginning of Rehumanization, a literary process that would be cut short by the outbreak of the Civil War.
The most significant authors of the group include:
- Jorge Guillén (Song)
- Pedro Salinas (Reason for Love)
- Vicente Aleixandre (History of the Heart)
- Luis Cernuda
- Rafael Alberti
- Federico García Lorca
- Gerardo Diego
- Dámaso Alonso
- Emilio Prados
- Manuel Altolaguirre
The group was named the Generation of ’27 due to their famous meeting at the Ateneo de Sevilla to mark the tercentenary of Góngora’s death.
Characteristics and Evolution of the Generation of ’27
There is debate over whether or not they form a literary generation. The group meets some of the generational requirements:
- Close age
- Similar cultural level (almost all have a university education)
- Assistance to joint events and common areas
- Journals: Litoral, Sur, Revista de Occidente
- External leadership by Juan Ramón Jiménez
However, there are requirements not met by the group:
- There is no internal leader (even though Lorca and Guillén are central figures)
- There is no clear historical event binder (the disaster of ’98 is a style)
- There is no clear rejection of previous literary models
- The group presents a wide range of styles
As for the aesthetic features of the Generation of ’27, some common features can be identified:
- A transcendent sense of poetry
- Purification of feeling
- Intellectualism
- Development of free verse
Dámaso Alonso’s criterion on the evolution of the group is generally accepted. He speaks of two stages:
- Up to 1927: Eminently Avant-garde, pure poetry, and intellectually tight, based on metaphor and the creation of a well-prepared poetic language, under the model of Góngora. However, this stage also saw the first signs of future interest in popular lyricism.
- From 1927 to 1936: Rehumanization stage, with the influence of Surrealism. The human element again has a place in poetry: first the expression of feelings, and then drifting towards a political and even revolutionary poetry, accentuated by historical developments.
A third stage should be added, after the Civil War. The group dispersed. The poets who remained suffered the difficulties of the post-war period but were able to lead the way to an existential and socially conscious poetry for new generations. Among exiles, the predominant feeling was nostalgia and rootlessness.