Azorín, Benavente, and Inclán: Key Works and Literary Styles
Azorín: Breaking with Tradition
Azorín (José Martínez Ruiz) from Monóvar, Alicante, initially studied law at the University of Valencia but transitioned to journalism. He lived in Paris during the Civil War and died in Madrid. Azorín’s works broke with the 19th-century conception of the novel, emphasizing stopped motion and time. His narrative style involved a thorough analysis of perception, highlighting factors that freeze time and capture the feeling of the moment. His early works reflect rebellion, social consciousness, and critique related to anarchism, alongside subjective spiritual concerns.
Key Novels by Azorín:
- “The Will”: An impressionistic novel featuring Antonio Azorín as the protagonist.
- “Antonio Azorín”: The protagonist, again single, learns to live with reality and finds energy in the literary ideal.
- “Doña Inés”: A romance about a woman in love with a young poet who must resign herself due to societal pressures.
Jacinto Benavente: Theater of Illusion
Jacinto Benavente, born in Madrid, worked for ABC newspaper. He was elected to the Royal Spanish Academy (SAR) and received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Benavente believed theater should be an instrument of illusion and escape, emphasizing dialogue in his works.
Classification of Benavente’s Works:
- Bourgeois Interiors: Dramas set in the rooms and cabinets of the haute bourgeoisie.
- Cosmopolitan Interiors: Depictions of ski resorts, yachts, palaces, and interactions among princes and princesses.
- Provincial Interiors: Stories taking place in the fictional city of Moraleda.
- Rural Interiors: Rural dramas unfolding in the kitchens, dining rooms, or living rooms of peasants.
Notable Plays by Benavente:
- “The Bonds of Interest”: A farce exploring the power of money, creating a universal satire.
- “The Unloved”: Highlights the sense of honor characteristic of rural dramas, portraying peasants and the struggle between passion and prohibition due to kinship, using straightforward and sober language.
Ramón del Valle-Inclán: Modernism and the Grotesque
Ramón del Valle-Inclán, born in Villanueva de Arosa, studied law at the University of Santiago de Compostela. He served as curator of the national artistic heritage, president of the University, and director of the School of Fine Arts in Rome. His career began in modernism, culminating in the grotesque.
Major Works by Valle-Inclán:
Sonatas:
- “Sonata de Primavera” (Spring Sonata): Set in an Italian palazzo, depicting the young Marquis’s unrequited love for Maria Rosario.
- “Sonata de Estío” (Summer Sonata): Bradomín travels to Mexico and has an affair with Niña Chole.
- “Sonata de Otoño” (Autumn Sonata): The Marquis has intercourse with his cousin Concha in rural Galicia.
- “Sonata de Invierno” (Winter Sonata): Set in Estella, Bradomín is about to seduce Maximina (unaware she is his daughter). The main themes are carnal love, death, and religion.
Carlist War Trilogy:
This trilogy portrays the Carlist War, viewing liberalism as the source of Spain’s ills and proposing a Carlist model of society. Characters include clergy, rural aristocracy, and the people.
Other Notable Novels:
- “Tirano Banderas”: A historical novel depicting the fall of dictator Santos Banderas, set during the feast of All Saints and All Souls.
- “The Iberian Arena”: A series of novels intended to cover thirty years, conceived as a novel about Spanish sensibility, exposing absurdity. Valle-Inclán uses a ridiculous, painful, and grotesque style. Spain is depicted as a bullring, a site of eternal violence and death.