Antonio Machado and the Generation of ’27
Antonio Machado: Life and Career
Life
Born in Seville in 1875, Antonio Machado belonged to a cultured and liberal family. They moved to Madrid, where he studied at the Free Institution of Teaching, which profoundly influenced his thinking. He traveled to Paris, meeting Oscar Wilde and Rubén Darío. Machado resided in Madrid until 1936, supporting the Republican government. He evacuated to Valencia and then Barcelona in 1936, eventually exiling to France in 1939, where he died the same year.
Poetic
Read MoreGeneration of ’27: Spanish Literature’s Golden Age
Generation of ’27: A Literary Renaissance
The Generation of ’27 was a group of authors who revitalized Spanish literature, merging innovative approaches with classical poetry. Influenced by Juan Ramón Jiménez, Ortega y Gasset, and Ramón Gómez de la Serna, they sought balance and poetic synthesis. Stylistically, their poetic creation drew heavily from Góngora, while metrically, they employed both traditional and innovative forms, exploring a diverse range of themes.
Key Figures of the Generation
Read More20th Century Literature: From Avant-Garde to Generation of ’27
20th Century Literature
2.1 The Avant-Garde (1910s)
The avant-garde art scene emerged around 1910. These movements, also known as “isms,” rejected traditional art forms and advocated experimentation. Key movements include:
- Creationism (Hispanic origin): Aimed to create reality within the artwork itself, often using language games.
- Surrealism (French origin): Focused on expressing subconscious emotions and thoughts, employing techniques like automatic writing to create irrational images.
The New Novel
Europe
Read MoreJacint Verdaguer and the Catalan Renaissance
The Catalan Renaissance
Influential Institutions
Several institutions contributed to the consolidation of the Catalan Renaissance:
- Universities: Attracting talented teachers who shaped future generations and led the country.
- Academy of Belles Lettres (Barcelona): Promoting art and culture.
- Ateneu Barcelonès: Organizing conferences and debates, notably the influential Floral Games.
The Floral Games
Established in 1859, the Floral Games aimed to:
- Promote the Catalan language and literature.
- Encourage new
19th-Century Realism and Naturalism in Literature
Realism and Naturalism
Realism and naturalism are art movements from the latter half of the 19th century. Transformations in 19th-century European society led to a heightened awareness of social importance. The influence of society and the collective dimension of humanity came to the forefront.
Realism is a cultural movement characteristic of bourgeois society, which rejected idealistic romantic fantasies.
From Romanticism to Realism
Presenting realism as entirely antagonistic to romanticism isn’t
Realism, Renewal, and Magical Realism in 20th-Century Spanish and Latin American Literature
1. Realism in the Mid-20th Century
After World War II, social realism emerged with distinct approaches:
- Objectivism: This style, seen in American behavioral narratives and the French nouveau roman, emphasizes objectivism, simultaneous narration, the importance of setting and objects, dialogue over narration, and linear narrative condensation.
- Critical Objectivist Realism: This Spanish movement critiques contemporary society. Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio’s El Jarama offers a critical view of Spain. Camilo