Spanish Literary Movements: Romanticism to Modernism
Spanish Literary Movements
Romanticism (Late 18th – Mid 19th Century)
A dominant cultural movement in Europe and America, Romanticism’s emergence is linked to the French Revolution. It represents the rise of the bourgeoisie and a reaction against Neoclassicism.
Key Characteristics:
- Focus on the individual: Authors explored their inner emotions and experiences.
- Emotional extremes: Themes of love, despair, melancholy, and rebellion were common.
- Fascination with the past: Interest in the Middle Ages,
15th-Century Spanish Literature: A Transition and Transformation
15th-Century Spanish Literature
A Period of Transition
Literary historians view the 15th and early 16th centuries as a long transitional period. Medieval genres, styles, and themes slowly evolved, influenced by Italian Humanism.
Diverse Literary Manifestations
- Learned Poetry: Influenced by Provençal troubadour lyric poetry and Dante’s Divine Comedy, this allegorical style featured prominent authors like Juan de Mena, the Marquis de Santillana, and Jorge Manrique. These poems were often collected in
Modernism and Avant-Garde: A Literary Journey
Modernism
Modernism, a literary movement in Spain, developed between 1880 and 1910. It was characterized by a creative rebellion and reflected the universal crisis in art, science, religion, and politics.
Key Characteristics of Modernism:
- Rejection of reality, escaping through time and exotic settings.
- Emphasis on formal perfection and individuality.
- Focus on beauty and musicality.
- Diversity of styles.
- Use of mythology and sensationalism.
- Constant lexical renewal.
- Desire for innovative inspiration.
Themes
Read MoreNarrative Trends in Post-Civil War Spain
Narrative Trends From 1940 to the 1970s
From the end of the Civil War until today, there have been numerous trends in Spanish narrative, making critical synthesis difficult when grouped by decades. The profound trauma of the Civil War affected all aspects of life (repression, hunger, fear, isolation, exile) and a double censorship environment, both political and ecclesiastical, conditioned novelistic production, sharply breaking with previous innovation trends.
In this scenario, two main strands can
Read MoreMedieval & Renaissance Literature: Chivalry, Humanism & The Baroque
Medieval Literature
The Novels of Chivalry
Medieval European epics, written in verse or prose, narrate legendary incidents, often based on real events. These stories feature knights errant embarking on extraordinary adventures, often with a focus on courtly love (e.g., Tristan and Isolde).
The Chivalric Novel
Evolving from the novels of chivalry, these prose narratives, influenced by Catalan chronicles, reflected real-life situations. A reciprocal influence existed between literature and reality, as
Read MoreLiterary Analysis: Genres, Elements, and Techniques
Literary Work
Literary elements are integral to communication, involving encoding and decoding messages. Key elements include:
Elements of a Literary Work
- Issuer: The source of the message isn’t singular. In a novel, for example, the issuer can be the author, the narrator, or the characters. Similarly, in theater or film, an actor’s voice conveys words written by a playwright. Understanding a literary work hinges on identifying the speaker at any given moment.
- Receiver: The person reading or hearing