Post-War Spanish Poetry: Eras of Transformation (1940-1970)
The evolution of post-war Spanish poetry mirrors that of the novel, characterized by existential themes in the 1940s, social concerns in the 1950s, experimental approaches in the 1960s, and openness to diverse trends from the 1970s onwards.
The 1940s: Post-War Poetic Landscape
In the 1940s, poetry was strongly influenced by the historical situation. Poets sought a sense of reality, often finding it in spirituality or in expressions of complaint. Generally, poetry during this period was highly individualistic, embracing three main trends:
Rooted Poetry: Franco Regime Influence
A rooted poetry, aligned with the Franco regime. Authors, grouped around magazines like Garcilaso and Escorial, exalted the imperial past and classical forms (e.g., the sonnet), recovering traditional subjects such as religion, landscape, and love. Prominent figures included:
- Luis Rosales
- Luis Felipe Vivanco
- Leopoldo Panero
- Dionisio Ridruejo
Uprooted Poetry: Existential Anguish
An uprooted poetry, at odds with the prevailing reality. Similar to the novel of the time, this poetry addressed themes of existential angst and doubt, often with a social background. The tone was tragic and torn, and the language frequently employed free verse. The core of this trend was the magazine Espadaña, which brought together authors such as:
- Victoriano Crémer
- Eugenio de Nora
- Vicente Gaos
- Carlos Bousoño
- José Luis Hidalgo
- José María Valverde
This trend also included poets from the Generation of ’27 like Dámaso Alonso and Vicente Aleixandre.
Avant-Garde Poetry: Experimentation
An avant-garde poetry, often oblivious to the country’s immediate situation and dedicated to linguistic and formal experimentation. Its main representatives included:
- The Cántico Group, led by Pablo García Baena, frequently exploring themes of love, often manifested in forms of forbidden love.
- Postismo, the last Spanish avant-garde movement, which described itself as ‘Iberian Surrealism’ and was led by Carlos Edmundo de Ory. Postismo championed creative freedom and playfulness.
The 1950s: Rise of Social Poetry
In the 1950s, poetry became more openly social, seeking to provide critical testimony of Spanish reality. Key themes included:
- Social injustice
- Freedom
- Political exploitation
- Labor
The language adopted was plain and accessible. Important authors of this period were:
- Blas de Otero
- Gabriel Celaya
- José Hierro
- Ángela Figuera
Social poetry shifted its focus from individual problems to collective concerns, abandoning aesthetic language for a clear, even colloquial, style capable of reaching a broader readership.
The 1960s: Linguistic Renewal and Introspection
During the 1960s, poets pursued a renewal of language, making it more developed and rhetorical. Although they did not entirely abandon critical testimony, themes increasingly leaned towards personal experiences, such as:
- Childhood
- Love
- Family
Significant authors included:
- Claudio Rodríguez
- Ángel González
- José Ángel Valente
- Jaime Gil de Biedma
This was a skeptical poetry, acknowledging its inability to change reality, and thus focusing on the everyday and intimate.
The 1970s: Cultural Revolution and New Voices
In the 1970s, following the cultural revolution of May ’68, new poetic movements emerged.
The “Novísimos” and Culturalist Poets
The Novísimos (or ‘Last Things’) group emerged, including:
- Pere Gimferrer
- Félix de Azúa
- Vicente Molina Foix
They injected new life into poetry, incorporating myths of modern civilization: film, music, pop culture, comics, and jazz, along with other cultural manifestations previously considered marginal. A very particular trend within this group were the culturalist poets, influenced by Cavafy’s poetry and the decadent aesthetics of Venice. This newest generation is also known as the ‘Generation of ’68,’ referencing the cultural revolution. Their language was distinctly refined and aesthetic.
Poetry in Exile: A Separate Voice
The study of Spanish poetry at this stage must necessarily include poets writing in exile. During the Civil War and its aftermath, approximately 400,000 Spaniards (many of whom later returned) from various social and cultural strata were forced to emigrate, first to France and then primarily to Latin America, especially Mexico. Many poets whose careers had begun before 1936 continued to write in exile, including well-known figures such as:
- Juan Ramón Jiménez
- Pedro Salinas
- Luis Cernuda
- Rafael Alberti
To these, we can add names like León Felipe and Juan Gil Albert. The primary theme of poetry in exile was Spain itself: the evocation of war, the bitterness of complaint against the slow victory of the victors. However, new themes also emerged:
- Nostalgia for the lost homeland
- Love
- The desire to return
- Traditional themes such as time, death, and religious beliefs
In terms of style, initially, a realistic and straightforward language was used, following the ‘poetry of battle,’ but other styles soon emerged, such as surrealism or a recovery of more classical or traditional forms.