20th Century Spanish Literature: Theater and Essay
Postwar Spanish Theater
Challenges and Evolution
The Spanish theatrical revival movement, which flourished in the 1920s and 30s with playwrights like Valle-Inclán and García Lorca, faced significant challenges after the Spanish Civil War. Censorship, commercial constraints, and a focus on bourgeois audiences hindered innovation for decades.
Early Postwar Period (1939-1949)
During this period, Spanish stages primarily featured traditional works by established playwrights such as Arniches, Marquina, and Benavente. However, some notable exceptions emerged, including:
- Enrique Jardiel Poncela: Known for his bold and innovative comedies like Eloisa is beneath an almond tree.
- Miguel Mihura: Introduced a fresh perspective with plays like Three Top Hats and Sublime Decision.
Meanwhile, exiled playwrights like Rafael Alberti (Night of War in the Prado Museum) and Alejandro Casona (The Lady of the Dawn) continued writing, but their works had limited opportunities to be staged in Spain.
Theater of Protest and Social Concerns (1949 onwards)
The premiere of Antonio Buero Vallejo’s Historia de una escalera in 1949 marked a turning point. This play, along with Buero’s subsequent works, addressed existential anxieties and social issues, offering a critical reflection of Spanish reality.
Another key figure was Alfonso Sastre, who championed theater as a tool for social protest and criticism. His plays, such as The Gag and Square toward Death, and his involvement in theater groups and manifestos, exemplified this commitment.
The 1950s and early 60s saw a generation of playwrights mirroring the social realism trend in novels and poetry. Their works explored themes of exploitation, injustice, and alienation. Prominent names include:
- Lauro Olmo: The Shirt
- Jose Martin Recuerda: The Wild Saint Giles Bridge
- José María Rodríguez Méndez: The Innocent de la Moncloa
Renewal and Experimentation (1960s-70s)
Despite ongoing constraints, the 1960s and 70s witnessed a wave of theatrical experimentation. Playwrights like Fernando Arrabal, Francisco Nieva, and even Buero Vallejo explored new forms and styles. Independent theater groups like Els Joglars, Els Comediants, and La Fura dels Baus emerged, pushing boundaries and attracting younger audiences.
Contemporary Spanish Theater
Several factors contribute to the vitality of contemporary Spanish theater:
- Successful Playwrights: Writers like José Sanchis Sinisterra (Ay Carmela!) and José Luis Alonso de Santos (Get off the Moor) have achieved critical and commercial success.
- National Dramatic Centers: The establishment of these centers, particularly in Madrid and Barcelona, has provided support and platforms for theatrical productions.
- Collective Productions: Groups like La Fura dels Baus continue to produce provocative and innovative theater.
- Theater Workshops: These workshops play a crucial role in training actors and directors.
The Essay in 20th Century Spain
The essay, a prose genre characterized by personal reflection and exploration of diverse topics, reached its peak in Spanish literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Generation of ’98 and the Essay
The Generation of ’98, a group of writers deeply concerned about Spain’s decline and the meaning of human existence, found the essay to be an ideal medium for expressing their ideas.
Miguel de Unamuno, a prominent figure of this generation, used essays to articulate his philosophical and existential reflections. His works, such as Around Purity, Life of Don Quixote and Sancho, and The Tragic Sense of Life, explored themes of faith, reason, and the Spanish identity.
Other notable essayists of this generation include Ramiro de Maeztu and Azorín, who also grappled with Spain’s challenges and its place in Europe.
Noucentisme and the Essay
The Noucentisme movement, which followed the Generation of ’98, adopted a more critical perspective on Spain’s situation. Noucentista essayists advocated for modernization and a departure from traditional values.
Key figures include:
- Gregorio Marañón: The Count-Duke of Olivares
- Manuel Azaña: The Invention of Don Quixote and Other Essays
- Eugenio d’Ors: Three Hours in the Prado Museum
- José Ortega y Gasset: A prolific essayist who explored social and political issues (The Invertebrate Spain, The Revolt of the Masses) and also delved into aesthetics and art theory (The Dehumanization of Art).
The Essay During and After the Dictatorship
The Francoist dictatorship was not a conducive period for essay writing. However, exiled intellectuals like Claudio Sánchez Albornoz (Spain in its history) and Américo Castro (The historical reality of Spain) continued to produce significant works, sparking debates about Spain’s historical and cultural identity.
From the 1960s onwards, social and political essays began to appear in magazines like Triunfo and Cuadernos para el Diálogo. Notable essayists of this period include Pedro Laín Entralgo, Agustín García Calvo, José Luis López Aranguren, Julián Marías, and Julio Caro Baroja.
With the arrival of democracy, political essays gained prominence, with figures like Enrique Tierno Galván, Gregorio Peces Barba, and Manuel Fraga contributing to public discourse through their writings.