The Generation of ’98: Key Writers, Themes, and Literary Innovations
The Generation of ’98: A Literary Overview
The writers of the Generation of ’98, driven by critical zeal and a desire for innovation, experimented with new narrative techniques. Their goal was to offer readers diverse perspectives on social, political, philosophical, and personal issues, moving beyond the antiquated and realistic tendencies of the time. Some key modifications included:
- Narrative Focus: The emphasis shifted from the story itself to the manner in which it was narrated.
- Unique Characters: Plots often centered on the inner world of a single character.
- Life Experience: Drawing heavily from personal experiences.
- Dialogue: Utilizing dialogue as a primary tool for character development and thematic exploration.
Themes and Style
Common themes included concern over Spain’s identity, intrahistoria (the history of everyday life), authentic values, subjective reality, and the Spanish landscape. The essay became a prominent genre, with many members of the Generation of ’98 dedicating a significant portion of their work to it.
Pío Baroja (1872-1956)
Born in San Sebastián and died in Madrid. Key characteristics of his work include:
- Religious Skepticism: Often transmitted through his characters.
- Distrust of Humanity: Reflecting a view of life as absurd and the world as nonsensical.
- Influence of European Philosophy: Drawing from Nietzsche and Schopenhauer, particularly the idea that suffering is inherent in life.
- Adventurous Protagonists: Often featuring central characters who are adventurers.
Baroja’s thematic material stemmed from his own life experiences, including a sense of bitter loneliness. Recurrent themes include reflections on the lower classes in cities like Madrid and the recreation of everyday environments and situations.
Notable Works
First Step on the Way to Perfection, The Tree of Science, the trilogy The Fight for Life, and Zalacaín the Adventurer.
Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936)
Born in Bilbao and died in Salamanca. Unamuno conceived of life as a struggle to find a peace that is never truly attained. He developed a unique form of the novel called the nivola, a term he coined to distance himself from the realistic novel and seek renewal. Key features of his nivolas include:
- Agonists: Characters known for their relentless pursuit of God, living and suffering in the process.
- Minimal Setting: Little emphasis on spatial and temporal frameworks.
- Emphasis on Dialogue: Prioritizing conversations and discussions.
Notable Works
Fog and San Manuel Bueno, Martyr. Other works include Love and Pedagogy and Abel Sánchez. His essays often highlight his concern for Spain and what he termed intrahistoria, meditating on the uncertain future due to the crises of the time.
Ramón María del Valle-Inclán (1866-1936)
Born in Villanueva de Arosa and died in Santiago de Compostela. His career can be divided into stages:
- Stage of the Sonatas: Celebrating the decadent world from a perspective of nostalgia. (e.g., Sonatas)
- Stage Between the Sonatas and Esperpentos: Filled with rural environments.
- Esperpento Stage: Characterized by grotesque and distorted portrayals of reality. (e.g., Tyrant Flags)
Themes and Style
Valle-Inclán often highlighted themes such as death, religion, and rural Spain, often from a pro-French perspective. He paid careful attention to language, creating a musical and evocative prose style that incorporated predominantly rural vocabulary. His prose is rhythmic, beautiful, and rich in sensory elements.
Notable Works
Sonatas (including Winter Sonata, Summer Sonata, Spring Sonata, and Autumn Sonata), The Carlist War trilogy, and Tyrant Flags, which depicts the fall of the dictator Santos Banderas.
Azorín (José Martínez Ruiz) (1873-1967)
Born in Alicante and died in Madrid. Key characteristics of his work include:
- Lightweight Framework: Single scenes linked by cohesion.
- Autobiographical Character: Personal traits that lead him to introduce a character representing himself.
- Opposition to Religion: Expressing opposition to clericalism.
- Passage of Time: Reflecting on the transience of life.
Themes and Style
Frequent topics include the landscape and the past of Spain. Azorín developed a personal style characterized by precision and clarity.
Notable Works
Will, Antonio Azorín, and Doña Inés. He also wrote essays, such as Essays of a Small Philosopher and literary essays on Chrestomathy.