20th Century Spanish Literature: Movements and Styles
20th Century Spanish Literature
Year 1940
Nationalist Literature
Ideological and focused on psychological depth due to the scarcity of resources. Works from this period are generally considered mediocre. Notable authors include R. Garcia-Serrano, Agustin de Foxa-Madrid, and Thomas delete-ACHECA.
Realistic Literature
Traditional style reminiscent of the 19th century. Notable authors include Zonzunegi and Ignacio Agusti.
Fantastic and Humorous Literature
Escapist and fantastical themes. Notable works include Menceslao Fdez’s “The Enchanted Forest” (surrealist and fantastical).
Exile Literature
Significant commentary on Spanish society. Notable authors include RJSender, Ayala, and Rosa Chacel.
Existentialist Literature
Themes of loneliness and rejection in the postwar period. Authors express themselves through censorship. Focuses on individual struggles rather than social criticism, set in both urban and rural environments. Common themes include poverty, violence, and hunger. Characters are often isolated, aggressive, and selfish. Techniques include the use of etymology and frequent use of the first person.
Notable Novels:
- “Nada” – Carmen Laforet (nihilist)
- “Shadow of the Cypress is Long” – Miguel Delibes
- “Lola Fdez” – Menceslao Dark Mirror-Flowers
- “Pascual Duarte” – Cela
1950s
(Spain enters the UN, war recedes, censorship loosens)
War Literature
Strict realism due to the passage of time. Notable works include Jose m ª Gironeya’s “One Million Dead”, Juan Goytisolo’s “Mourning in Heaven”, and Camilo Cela’s “San Camilo 1936”.
Fantastic Literature
Imaginative works that move away from social content. Notable works include Torrente Vallester’s “The Joys and Shadows” and Alvaro Congueiro’s “Merlin and Family”.
Social Literature
Significant shift towards analyzing group dynamics instead of individual experiences, focusing on the circumstances of the time. Common themes include poverty, frivolity, and sex, often portrayed in a bleak and gloomy urban setting.
Notable Novels:
- “The Mine” – Saline
- “The Trench” – A. Grosso
- “The Gleam and the Blood” – I. Aldecoa
- “The Jarama” – S. Fertorio
- “Path” – M. Delibes
- “Entre Curtains” – CM Gaite
Technique: Pure objectivism (hidden narrator) and subtle social criticism. Simple, linear, and sober style with an emphasis on direct dialogue. The narrator’s language hides the chronicle style. Time and space are broken with simplicity, lacking long periods and temporal references.
1960s
Political and cultural changes influence literature. Technocrats and a softer dictatorship lead to increased freedom of expression. New magazines, pocket books, and tourism emerge. The social novel declines in popularity due to its simplicity. New novels abandon simplicity but retain broad social themes, focusing on language and style. Techniques include flashbacks, interior monologues, and a new concept of the reader influenced by Marcel Proust.
1970s
Initially characterized by experimentalism (no narration) and a disregard for traditional techniques. By the end of the decade, storytelling is revived. Novels become diverse after the experimental phase, encompassing historical, fantastical, detective (a rising subgenre), and everyday life themes. Metalliterary novels (literature within literature) also emerge, such as “Shadow of the Wind”.
Notable Authors and Works:
- Julio Llamazares – “Yellow Rain”
- Matthew L. Fountain – “Of Age”
- E. Mendoza – “Maze of Olives”
- Vazquez Montalban – “Rose of Alexandria”
Poetry of the 20th Century
Year 1940
Poetry from Prison and Exile
Poets often remain silent. Themes include the lost homeland, war, and defeat. Notable authors include Leon Felipe and Miguel Hernandez (themes: love, death, pain).
Rooted Poetry (Garcilasismo)
Named after the magazine “Garcilaso”. Classic and traditional style. Themes include religion and love, reflecting a Renaissance worldview. Forms include silva, lira, and sonnet. Notable authors include D. Ridruego, L. Panero, and L. Rosales.
Uprooted Poetry
Both content and form are unconventional. Harsh, sober, and impactful lexicon. Themes include the reality of Spain and existential questions about religion and God. Notable authors include D. Alonso, Victorian Crende, Eugenio de Nora, Gabriel Celaya, and Blas de Otero.
Other notable poets of this period include C. Bousoño, J. M ª Valverde, and J. Luis Gentleman.
1950s
Social Poetry
Solidarity with the suffering. Themes include freedom, injustice, and the working class. Simple and colloquial style for accessibility. Lyrical quality is considered mediocre. Notable authors include G. Celaya (“Cantos Iberians”), Blas de Otero (“I ask for peace and the word”), and Jose Hierro (“Fifth of 42”).
Postismo
A group of poets connected with the Generation of ’27 who lived abroad and published in the avant-garde magazine “Canticle”. Notable authors include Garcia Baena, Ricardo Molina, and Carlos Edmundo de Ory.
1960s
Poetry of Knowledge or Lyricism
A generation that initially embraced social poetry but gradually moved away. A fundamental change was the emphasis on poetry as communication. Style is characterized by complex poetic language. Humor and irony are prominent, replacing tragedy. Themes include love, intimacy, friendship, war, and childhood.
Notable Authors and Works:
- Claudio Rodriguez – “Gift of Drunkenness”
- Angel Gonzales – “Urban Treaty”
- José Ángel Valente – “Lazaro Poems”
1970s
Experimental Poetry (Novísimos)
This generation continued to address social issues but also broke away from traditional social poetry. They developed cultural realism, using poetry to share cultural knowledge and incorporate elements of contemporary life (cinema, sports, comics). The poetry is often hermetic and difficult to read without prior knowledge. Style is characterized by a prepared and lengthy discourse, separating it from the avant-garde.
Notable Authors:
- L. Alberto Basin
- L. Antonio a Peasant
- A. Colinas
- Pere Gimferrer
Alongside experimental poetry, other styles persisted from the previous decade. These styles featured autobiographical elements, abandoned ornate language, and sought a balance between simple, modern, and traditional styles for greater accessibility. Themes included urban life (TV, daily routines), love, loneliness, and the passage of time. Poetic trends included neo-surrealism, neo-romanticism, epic poetry, and sensual/erotic poetry.
Contemporary poetry continues to evolve and reflect current societal concerns.
Notable Authors:
- L. Garcia Montero
- Jon Juaristi
- Miguels Pors