Catalan Post-War Literature: Authors, Themes, and Context
Catalan Literature of the Post-War Period
Historical Context
The Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, leading to the exile of many Catalan politicians and intellectuals, especially to France and America. During the Franco regime, clandestine political groups organized in Catalonia to defend Catalan culture.
Narrative Trends
From the first half of the 1950s, when novels were still illegal, there was a renewed focus on the importance of narrative that had been established in the pre-war years.
Streams of Catalan Fiction in the Post-War Era
The Psychological Novel
This genre focuses on the inner world and moral life of the characters. A principal representative is Mercè Rodoreda.
The Realistic Novel
This style uses a narrator who recounts memories or experiences, often denouncing the reality of the time. A key representative is Llorenç Villalonga.
Key Authors and Their Works
Mercè Rodoreda
Rodoreda’s work features characteristics of the psychological novel, especially in Plaça del Diamant (1962) and Mirall Trencat (1974). In these novels, the inner world of the characters and their perspectives on the surrounding reality take center stage. Women are often the main protagonists, and relationships are a major theme. Symbolic elements are represented throughout Rodoreda’s works, with objects like jewels and flowers holding symbolic value related to the protagonist.
Josep Pla
Pla possessed a great capacity for observation, which led him to write extensively based on his experiences.
Main Characteristics of Pla’s Work:
- Customs and reflections on the daily reality of the moment.
- Andalusia as a main theme.
- A clear and direct style, highlighting his mastery of descriptions, always using the most appropriate adjective.
Llorenç Villalonga
Villalonga cultivated narrative, journalistic articles, and theater. His works often reflect the Mallorcan aristocracy. His post-war works depict the decadence of a cultured aristocracy and a nostalgia for a lost world.
Themes in Villalonga’s Work:
- A satirical view of the Mallorcan aristocracy.
- A criticism against the provincialism of the island.
- A rejection of the changes brought about by tourism and society.
Pere Calders
Novels:
- The Shadow of the Agave
- Here Lies Nevares
Stories:
- Chronicles of the Hidden Truth
- So Subtle Invasion
Typical Elements in Calders’ Work:
- Diverse themes
- Narrative humor, irony, and vitality
- A combination of a realistic framework with fantastic elements
- A style characterized by linguistic creativity and simplicity in language
Manuel Pedrolo
Pedrolo’s written works, such as Totes les bèsties de càrrega (All the Beasts of Burden) and Mecanoscrit de segon origen (Typescript of the Second Origin), reflect a critical view of society and incorporate elements of historical realism.
Characteristics of Pedrolo’s Work:
- Realistic style
- Different narrative techniques
Poetry
Poetry was cultivated during the Francoist post-war years. It was used to denounce political and cultural repression and was often published clandestinely. Much of this work falls within the realm of historical realism.
Joan Oliver (Pere Quart)
Oliver, under the pseudonym Pere Quart, is characterized by his ethical use of humor and irony to reflect on everyday experiences. His work Vacances pagades (Paid Leave), written in 1960, criticizes consumer society and the Franco era.
Historical Realism in Poetry
This poetic style is characterized by a strong component of denouncing social injustices and lack of freedom. Examples include Pere Quart’s Vacances Pagades (1960).
Salvador Espriu
In 1960, Espriu published La pell de brau (The Skin of the Bull), reflecting on the history and destiny of Sepharad and proposing reconciliation between peoples. He died in 1985. His poems often meditate on death and present a pessimistic vision of human life.
Gabriel Ferrater
Ferrater was a realist poet who, unlike other authors of historical realism (Pere Quart and Salvador Espriu), wrote poetry tied to everyday experience but without a desire for social or political commitment. Les dones i els dies (Women and Days) (1968) is a key collection of his work.
Themes in Ferrater’s Work:
- Love
- The passage of time
- Direct language in a conversational style
Glossary
Breeze
Gentle wind (ventijol).
Triumvirate
In ancient Rome, a committee or association of three triumvirs.
Camphor
A terpene ketone extracted from the wood of the Camphor Laurel or synthetically produced, used as a plasticizer for cellulose, as a bactericide in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and in treating respiratory illnesses.