Galician Theatre, Poetry, and Prose (1900-1976)
20th Century Galician Theatre
Galician theatre in the 20th century can be divided into several key phases:
- Regional Theatre: Aimed to stimulate Galician dramatists, address working-class exploitation, and challenge romantic ideals. Key figures include Luis Freire.
- Theatre of Brotherhoods: Founded the Conservatory of Galician Art, promoting the Galician language. Three ideological currents emerged: conservative, social-historical, and avant-garde. Notable figures include Antón Vilar Ponte, Dantas, Armando Hill-Valledor, and Dieste Ppal.
- Nationalist Theatre: Linked to Galician nationalism, with playwrights like Risk and Pedraio exploring themes of reflection and rural society.
- Aesthetic Renewal: Culminated with Castelao’s work, followed by Celso Emilio Ferreiro, who denounced the lack of freedom and the plight of immigrants.
- Promotion Link: Authors born in the 1920s and 30s, characterized by pessimism and intimacy. Anton Trova and Manuel Cunha are key figures.
- Last Generation: Authors from the 1930s and 40s, associated with the Editorial Galaxia. Maria Manuel is a notable author.
Galician Poetry (1936-1976)
This period saw different trends and poetic groups:
- Generation of 36: Associated with the Editorial Galaxia. Key figures include Aquilino Iglesia Alvariño and Cunqueiro.
- Pessimistic View: Writers like Cunqueiro presented a pessimistic view of the world.
- Intimate Works: Eugenio Novoneira focused on intimate works, depicting landscapes and the land of Lugo.
- Contemporary Reform: Xosé Luís Méndez Ferrín contributed to the reform of contemporary Portuguese poetry.
Galician Prose (1936-1976)
The period was marked by censorship under the dictatorship. The recovery of Galician literature began in the 1950s, largely through the work of Editorial Galaxia.
- Anxeles Bellows: Notable for elements of romance, humor, music, love, and death. Her works often portray Galicia with mysterious and magical legends.
- Alvaro Cunqueiro: Known for long narratives with mythic characters and tales, often set in Galician spaces.
- Eduardo Blanco Amor: Recurring themes include family relationships, marginalization, loneliness, and political confrontation. His best-known work is Esmorga.
- Xosé Neira Vilas: Focused on Galician rural life in the post-war period, addressing themes of demagogy, emigration, and the misunderstanding of children. His works include Memoirs of a Peasant Boy and Letters to Lelo.