Postwar Spanish Novel: Evolution and Trends
Postwar Spanish Novel
From Repression to Renewal
After the Spanish Civil War, the Franco dictatorship brought repression and censorship, resulting in cultural impoverishment. New avenues of expression slowly emerged. Internationally, the end of World War II led to the Cold War and significant scientific advances.
The postwar novel saw a renewal of realism, a decline in the importance of history, a focus on drama, and the exploration of the hero’s problems.
Exile and Nationalist Literature
Novels of the past continued to be written both in Spain and in exile, with literature serving political issues like the Civil War, Nazism, World War II, and the longing for a lost homeland.
Exile authors include:
- Arturo Barea (Forge, The Rebel)
- Max Aub (Good Intentions)
- Ramón J. Sender (Requiem for a Spanish Peasant)
- Francisco Ayala (The Head of a Lamb, The Garden of Earthly Delights)
- Rosa Chacel (Acropolis, Memories of Leticia Valle)
Nationalist writers like Concha Espina offered their perspectives on the war, often criticizing the vanquished. Torrente Ballester’s Rear Javier Mariño is also notable.
The 1940s: Social Realism Emerges
The 1940s continued to grapple with the Civil War’s impact and devastation. Social realism emerged with novels like:
- Camilo José Cela’s The Family of Pascual Duarte
- Carmen Laforet’s Nada (Nothing)
- Miguel Delibes’ The Shadow of the Cypress is Long
These first-person narratives depict the era’s oppression and despair, offering a raw and sordid vision of reality, yet also portraying tenderness towards helpless beings.
The 1950s: Objectivist Realism
Cela’s The Hive portrays Madrid in 1942 and foreshadows the 1950s novel. Objectivist realism, influenced by French and American authors, reflected reality in a raw and documentary-like style. The human being is depicted as an individual striving to survive.
Key authors include:
- Ana María Matute (The Merchants, Barefoot Only)
- Ignacio Aldecoa (The Glare and the Blood)
- Carmen Martín Gaite (Between Curtains, Variable Cloudiness, Amorous Uses in the Eighteenth Century, Industries and Andanzas)
- Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio (Alfanhuí’s Wanderings, The Soul and Shame)
The 1960s: Intellectualization and Experimentation
Social realism evolved into a more idealistic, critical, and committed style. Linear narrative was emphasized, with time and space given prominence. Writers engaged with social problems.
Notable authors include:
- Juan Marsé
- Juan Goytisolo (The Ephemeral, Mourning in Paradise)
- Luis Goytisolo
- Juan García Hortelano (New Friendships, Brown)
- Francisco Umbral (Nymphs)
The 1960s novel shifted away from the war theme, with authors seeking to strengthen their artistic personalities. Narrative innovations and intellectualization emerged, along with the mixing of genres and a move away from linear narrative. Interior monologue became prominent, targeting a cultured and educated readership.
Key works include:
- Luis Martín Santos’ Time of Silence
- Juan Goytisolo’s Marks of Identity
- Miguel Delibes’ Five Hours with Mario and The Rats
Torrente Ballester’s Don Juan and Martín Santos’ Time of Silence ushered in the intellectual novel, breaking with social realism. Torrente Ballester’s The Saga/Flight of J.B. blends genres and offers a critical view of history. Juan Goytisolo’s Landless and Juan Benet’s Will Return to That Region are also significant.
Experimental novels began to emerge, such as Luis Goytisolo’s The Achilles Heel and Greens in May by the Sea, and various works by Juan Marsé.
The 1970s: Diverse Streams and Minimalism
The 1970s saw a confluence of styles and authors. Traditional and anti-regime novels coexisted. Manuel Vázquez Montalbán excelled in detective fiction, while Eduardo Mendoza’s The Truth About the Savolta Case intellectualized the novel.
Minimalism and reader intervention characterized many works. Past and present intertwined, and characters became less central. Notable authors include:
- Antonio Muñoz Molina (Winter in Lisbon, Crossing the Horizon)
- Javier Marías
- Julio Llamazares (Yellow Rain)
- José Antonio Gabriel y Galán (Landmark, A Salto de Mata)
- Juan José Millás (Dead Letter)
- Luis Landero (Games of Late Age)
- Soledad Puértolas (With Honey on the Lips)
- Esther Tusquets (The Silence of the Sirens)
The 1980s and 1990s: Publishing Boom and Genre Fiction
The 1980s saw a simplification of style to attract a wider readership, leading to a publishing boom. Numerous authors emerged, including:
- Manuel Vázquez Montalbán (Murder in the Central Committee)
- Almudena Grandes (Malena Is a Name of Tango, The Ages of Lulu)
- Arturo Pérez-Reverte (The Flanders Panel, The Seville Communion)
- Martín Casariego
- Carlos Ruiz Zafón
In the 1990s, action novels and reportage dominated, alongside bestsellers. Authors like Javier Marías (A Heart So White) gained international recognition. Authors from previous decades continued to write, such as Antonio Gabriel y Galán (Many Years Later) and Miguel Delibes (Diary of a Retiree).