Spanish Generation of ’27: Poets, Influences, and Stages
Generation of ’27: Context and Influences
The Generation of ’27 emerged during a turbulent period in history.
Economic Depression and Political Instability
The Great Depression of 1929, a global economic crisis, originated in the financial sector and spread to industry and the rest of the world. Europe experienced extreme political instability, with the rise of the Nazis in Germany in 1933. This critical situation eventually led to World War II in 1939.
In Spain, the Second Republic, proclaimed in 1931, faced strong opposition to its reforms from landlords, employers, senior army officials, and the Catholic Church. A military coup attempt in 1936 triggered a long and bloody civil war, ending in 1939 with the Republican defeat and the victory of General Franco’s forces, who established a dictatorship until 1975.
The Influence of Surrealism
Following the decline of most avant-garde movements (late 1920s to World War II), Surrealism, led by André Breton, became the most significant. Surrealism focused on the subconscious and dreams, seeking to liberate individuals from the constraints of logic, conventions, and language.
Spanish Poetry in the 1920s and 1930s
In the early 1920s, Juan Ramón Jiménez’s influence on Spanish poetry emphasized the dissemination of avant-garde ideas through the texts of poets and ultraists. A group of young poets emerged, who would become the Generation of ’27, named after their meeting in homage to Góngora on the third centenary of his death. This generation included, in order of age: Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Gerardo Diego, Vicente Aleixandre, Federico García Lorca, Emilio Prados, Rafael Alberti, Luis Cernuda, and Manuel Altolaguirre. While often associated with the group, Dámaso Alonso’s most important works were published after the war. Miguel Hernández is also considered a follower of the Generation of ’27 due to his influences and personal relationships.
Influences and Stages of the Generation of ’27
These writers shared common characteristics: poetic enthusiasm for Góngora, the influence of Juan Ramón Jiménez and pure poetry, neopopularism, avant-garde ideas, and a later re-humanization of their verses.
Their development can be divided into three stages:
- Youth (until 1925): A period of experimentation in search of a unique poetic style.
- Late 1920s: The period when most of them (except Miguel Hernández) published major works, establishing themselves as a generation of young poets. This was the stage of pure and dehumanized art.
- 1930s: During the Republic, there was a progressive re-humanization of poetry. Some poets, like Alberti and Prados, adopted a politically committed stance. Others, such as Lorca and Cernuda, also aligned with the left. During the Civil War, most supported the Republican cause.
The end of the war led to the dispersion of these poets and the end of the Generation of ’27 as a cohesive group.
The Poets of the Generation of ’27
Major representatives of the Generation of ’27:
Pedro Salinas (1892-1951)
His early works featured futuristic elements. His later works include:
- The Voice You Owe
- Reason for Love
- Sorry Long
These form a cycle of love. His poetry during exile reflects the horrors of war.
Jorge Guillén (1893-1984)
His two most important books are Song and Clamor. Song presents a perfect world, while Clamor reflects war, misery, pain, oppression, and torture. However, the poet maintains faith in life.