20th and 21st Century Poetry in Galicia: A Comprehensive Overview
20th and 21st Century Poetry in Galicia
The Avant-Garde (1920s-1930s)
The early 20th century saw the incorporation of European trends like Creationism, Surrealism, and Futurism into Galician poetry. Young authors such as Manuel Antonio, Luis Amado Carballo, and Fermín Bouza Brey led this movement, proclaiming a new literature through manifestos and magazines. Key aspects included a break from tradition, a focus on subjectivity, and language renewal.
Creationism
Manuel Antonio’s work, particularly “De catro a catro,” exemplifies Creationism with its innovative metaphors, maritime symbolism, and anti-romanticism. He employed neologisms, maritime jargon, and free verse to create a playful and experimental style.
Moderate Avant-Garde
Hylozoism, represented by Roberto Blanco Torres, Eugenius Montes, Amado Carballo, and Luis Manuel Acuña, focused on the animation of nature and subjective chromaticism. Their style was more traditional in terms of meter and rhyme.
Neotrobadorismo
Fermín Bouza Brey, João Vicente Viqueira, and Álvaro Cunqueiro revived the language of medieval troubadour poetry, using parallelism, archaic lexicon, and female lyrical voices. They also incorporated innovative imagery.
Post-War Poetry (1936-1975)
Despite the challenges of Francoist repression, poetry flourished in the post-war period. Three generations of poets emerged, each responding to the political and social climate in their own way.
Generation of 1936
This generation continued earlier trends like landscape poetry and intimacy, while also exploring themes of classicism, religion, and social realism.
Generation of 1936 (Special Liaison Party of Minervas)
Marked by existentialism and religious poetry, this group maintained a social concern while seeking to renew language and style. The School of Tebra, known for its pessimism and existentialism, and social realism were prominent trends.
Xeración das Festas Minervais
Born between 1930 and 1940, this generation was influenced by Galician cultural figures and Celso Emilio Ferreiro. They adopted a nonconformist attitude and responded to the dictatorship with a refreshing perspective. Two groups emerged: the Compostela group, representing cultural Galicianism, and the Brais Pinto group, advocating for Marxist political ideology.
The Poetry of the 1980s
The 1980s saw a resurgence of culturalism and a desire to transcend prose poetry. Poets like Álvaro Cunqueiro and Xosé Luís Méndez Ferrín drew inspiration from avant-garde movements and medieval literature. Symbols such as apples, houses, and islands were used to explore themes of eroticism, childhood, existentialism, and social realism. The Grupo Rompente, along with authors like Manuel Rivas and Miguel Anxo Fernán Vello, played a significant role in promoting this new wave of poetry.
The Poetry of the 1990s
Building on the symbolism of the 1980s, the 1990s saw a renewal and expansion of themes such as eroticism, landscape, and social realism, with a focus on issues like ecology, gender violence, and consumerism. Women poets, many of whom were young when they began writing, became increasingly prominent. Their work often deconstructed literary tropes and explored themes of love, sex, and the role of women in society. Notable poets of this decade include Chus Pato, Emma Couceiro, and Yolanda Castaño.
Poetry in the 2000s
The 21st century has witnessed a diverse range of themes and styles, with established poets from previous decades continuing to publish alongside emerging voices. Digital publishing and self-publishing have become increasingly common, allowing for greater accessibility and readership. The use of multimedia formats, such as CDs and online platforms, has also expanded the reach of Galician poetry.