Post-1939 Spanish Poetry: A Rebirth and Evolution
Post-1939 Spanish Poetry
1940s: Rooted and Uprooted Poetry
The post-war era began with poets born around 1910 who started publishing by 1936. Initially working with the Franco regime, they later distanced themselves, using poetry as a means of expression. The Phalanx and Escorial magazines served as platforms.
Poets of the Generation of ’36
- Luis Rosales
- Luis Felipe Vivanco
- Leopoldo Panero
- Dionisio Ridruejo
Key Features
- Return to themes of daily intimacy, land, family, and God.
- Use of traditional metrics and Golden Age formulas alongside free verse.
- Simple, everyday language.
- Intrahistory group called “burning house” by Luis Rosales and “written every minute” by Leopoldo Panero.
In 1943, the journal Gracilazo emerged, founded by young poets like José García Nieto and Pedro Lorenzo. They sought to connect with 16th-century Spanish ideals of military life, chivalry, and love.
Key Features of Gracilazo
- Preference for classical (Garcilaso, Lope de Vega) or neoclassical authors.
- Themes of love, religion, and the Castilian landscape.
- Technical mastery.
- Use of hendecasyllable and sonnet forms.
- Positive worldview contrasting with harsh realities.
1944 marked a turning point with Dámaso Alonso’s Children of Wrath and Vicente Aleixandre’s Shadow of Paradise. Alonso’s work was a protest against injustice and human suffering.
Contributions of Children of Wrath
- Direct and unequivocal language.
Also in 1944, the journal Espadaña appeared in León, led by Eugenio de Nora and Victoriano Crémer. These poets demanded more life and emotion in poetry.
Rooted vs. Uprooted Poetry
Two trends emerged: rooted poetry (conformist, Generation of ’36 and Gracilazo poets) and uprooted or existential poetry (Espadaña group, Blas de Otero, José Hierro, Carlos Bousoño, José Luis Hidalgo, and José María Valverde). Positivism, surrealism, and cultural intimacy also developed.
1950s: Social Poetry
A new conception of poetry arose, with José Hierro stating, “The poet is a worker and architect of his time.” The focus shifted to collective and social themes.
Key Themes
- Spain and its history
- Civil War
- Testimony, complaints, and hope for the future
Style
- Poetry as communication
- Conversational language
Two Waves of Social Poets
- Gabriel Celaya, Blas de Otero, Eugenio de Nora, Victoriano Crémer, and José Hierro
- Poetic Group of ’50: Carlos Barral, José Agustín Goytisolo, Jaime Gil de Biedma
1960s: Poetry of Experience (Poetic Group of ’50)
The poets of the ’50s generation, marked by the Civil War, explored themes of childhood, love, eroticism, friendship, and Spain, but without pathos. They were nonconformist and rigorous with language.
Key Contributions
- Ángel González: A word about word
- Jaime Gil de Biedma: People of the verb
- José Ángel Valente: Memory and the signs and The glare
- Claudio Rodríguez: Alliance and conviction, Almost a legend
1970s: The “Novísimos”
Pere Gimferrer’s Burning Sea (1966) heralded a new era. Josep Maria Castellet’s anthology Nueve novísimos poetas españoles featured poets like Gimferrer, Vázquez Montalbán, and Guillermo Carnero.
Traits of the “Novísimos”
- Automatic writing techniques
- Classical myths, unknown cities
- Influence of American mythology
- Camp sensibility and popular culture
Contemporary poets of the ’70s generation included Antonio Colinas and Antonio Carvajal.
1980s: The New Poetry
The “post-novísimos” introduced figurative poetry, focusing on urban themes, fiction, and formal metrics. They drew inspiration from the Generation of ’98, Manuel Machado, the Generation of ’27, and the poets of the ’50s.