Romanticism in Spain: Drama, Prose, and Social Commentary
Romanticism: A Cultural and Artistic Movement
Romanticism was a significant cultural and artistic movement characterized by:
- Individualism: Exalted liberty and the importance of the individual, asserting freedom as a supreme value (moral, political, and artistic).
- Rebellion: Embraced “Titanism” (rebellion against established laws) and “Satanism” (rebellion against God).
- Subjectivity: Championed a subjective conception of reality.
- Existential Angst: Explored themes of human existence and suffering.
- Historicism and Nationalism: Emphasized historical context and sought national identity, leading to a rebirth of regional literature like Galician and Catalan.
- Irrationalism: Embraced the power of emotions, imagination, and the supernatural.
- Exoticism: Found inspiration in the past and exotic cultures, particularly the Orient, using them as settings for expressing yearnings and ideals.
- Themes: Focused on liberty, human destiny, mysteries, and love.
- Style: Rejected conventions and mixed genres, registers, and styles. Exclamations and emotional language were prominent, sometimes imitating medieval language.
Evolution of Romanticism in Spain
Stage 1: Introduction of Romantic theories from Germany, particularly through the Schlegel brothers. Conservative and traditional views predominated.
Stage 2: Triumph of the Romantic movement, influenced by French Romanticism.
Stage 3 (Post-Romanticism): Transition towards Realism, incorporating folk poetry and German influences.
The Romantic Drama
The Romantic drama in Spain began with the premiere of “The Conspiracy of Venice” by Martínez de la Rosa and “Don Alvaro, or the Force of Destiny” by the Duke of Rivas. These works laid the foundation for other Romantic dramas like “The Troubadour” by Antonio García Gutiérrez.
Characteristics of Romantic Drama
Structure and Speech:
- Division into acts (often five).
- Mix of verse and prose.
- Rejection of the classical “Rule of Three Unities” (time, place, and action).
- Inclusion of costumbrista episodes (depicting everyday life and customs).
- Blend of tragic and comic scenes.
Characters:
- Protagonists often victims of fate, ending tragically.
- Women depicted as passionate lovers, condemned to suffering.
- Numerous secondary characters.
- Themes of sacrifice.
Topics:
- Fate and passionate love.
- Exploration of themes considered taboo, such as adultery and suicide.
Don Alvaro, or the Force of Destiny
This play explores themes of doom, revenge, and honor. It follows a five-act structure with genre scenes.
1st Act: Don Alvaro, in love with Leonor (daughter of a nobleman), accidentally kills her father while trying to elope.
2nd Act: Leonor retreats to a convent.
3rd and 4th Acts: Set in Italy, Don Alvaro seeks death in battle. He meets Don Carlos (Leonor’s brother). They duel, Don Carlos dies, and Don Alvaro is sentenced to death.
5th Act: Don Alvaro lives near the convent where Leonor resides. Another brother, Alfonso, appears and challenges him to a duel. Leonor tries to intervene but is accidentally stabbed by Alfonso, who believes she is with Don Alvaro. Don Alvaro commits suicide.
The action spans over five years and various locations (Seville, Cordoba, Italy, and the convent). The play mixes prose and verse, combining high style with popular and humorous elements.
Don Juan Tenorio
This play reinterprets the myth of Don Juan, culminating in the protagonist’s conversion and challenging the traditional tragic ending. It explores themes of free will, love, and divine mercy.
Plot: Don Juan Tenorio, a young, seductive, and reckless man, makes a bet that he can seduce Doña Inés. He kidnaps and falls in love with her. Her father confronts Don Juan, and Don Juan kills him. Five years later, Don Juan discovers that Doña Inés has died. He visits her tomb, repents, and gains salvation.
Structure, Time, and Space: The play consists of two parts (four acts and three acts). The first part focuses on Don Juan’s character, his conquests, and his bets. The second part centers on the cemetery.
Characters: Don Juan is the protagonist, a traditional figure transformed into a character capable of change and redemption. Doña Inés is a young, innocent woman who symbolizes the redemptive power of love.
Style and Language: Written in verse with a variety of meters, mixing lyrical elements with colloquialisms. The scenery gains importance in the second part.
The Romantic Prose
This period saw the development of costumbrista sketches and serialized novels.
Historical Novel:
Inspired by Walter Scott, two types of historical novels emerged:
- Medieval Novels: Set in the Middle Ages, recreating an idealized and heroic world mixed with legends. Examples include “Ramiro, Conde de Lucena” by Rafael de Kumara and “Sancho Saldaña” by Espronceda. The most acclaimed is “El Señor de Bembibre” by Enrique Gil y Carrasco.
- Contemporary Historical Novels: Focused on recent historical events. “El dos de mayo” by Juan Ariza is a notable example.
Social Novel:
Addressed social problems and the conditions of the proletariat, often with a tendency towards sentimentality and melodrama.
Other Genres:
Included short stories with techniques close to realism.
El Costumbrismo:
Costumbrista sketches were descriptive texts reflecting various aspects of contemporary society. Authors often focused on the middle class, describing types, environments, and scenes. Notable authors besides Larra include Ramón de Mesonero Romanos (“Panorama matritense”) and Serafín Estébanez Calderón (“Escenas Andaluzas”), who wrote under the pseudonym “El Solitario.”
Larra’s Prose
Mariano José de Larra is considered the creator of the literary article in Spain. His articles were published in five volumes titled “Colección de artículos dramáticos, literarios y políticos.”
Articles of Manners:
These articles critically analyzed Spanish society and proposed reforms for a freer and more cultured nation. They focused on social values, customs, and representative characters. Examples include “El castellano viejo,” “Vuelva usted mañana,” and “El casarse pronto y mal.”
Political Articles:
Reflected Larra’s liberal ideology and criticized the political situation in Spain, particularly the Carlists’ resistance to reforms. He addressed freedom of expression and censorship.
Articles of Literary Criticism:
Mostly dedicated to theater criticism, analyzing the transformation of the neoclassical comedy and praising the Romantic drama.
Style:
Larra used the pseudonym “Fígaro.” His articles employed dialogues between characters, pseudonyms, or the narrator and the reader, as well as the epistolary format. They belonged to the tradition of satire, using exaggeration, irony, metaphors, puns, and clichés. His style was simple and direct, incorporating colloquial language, neologisms, and technical terms.