Spanish Literary Movements: Neoclassicism to Naturalism
Neoclassical Poetry: Storytelling and Didacticism
Neoclassical poetry tends to be didactic and beautiful, often deviating from intimacy. The fable form is particularly conducive to how language creates its ideals and satirical intentions.
- Félix María de Samaniego
- Tomás de Iriarte
- Juan Meléndez Valdés
Neoclassical Theater
Leandro Fernández de Moratín
A prominent playwright whose most important rule for comedy was good taste, adhering to the rule of three unities (action, time, and place). His works maintain a didactic and moral character. El sí de las niñas is considered his best comedy-drama.
Neoclassical Thought and Essays
José Cadalso
One of the great literary figures of the 18th century. His notable works include Noches lúgubres and Cartas marruecas. In Cartas marruecas, letters are used as a literary device to reflect the author’s thoughts through the correspondence between two characters, one Moroccan and one Spanish.
- Benito Jerónimo Feijoo
- Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
Romanticism: Poetry, Theater, and Prose
Romantic Poetry
Romantic poetic works are classified as lyric and narrative.
Lyric Poetry
- José de Espronceda is considered the most important poet of the first half of Romanticism.
- In the second half, when post-romanticism emerged, key figures included:
- Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
- Rosalía de Castro
Narrative Poetry
- José de Espronceda
- Duke of Rivas
- José Zorrilla
Romantic Theater
Romantic theater abandons didacticism and is characterized by:
- Rejecting the rules of good taste.
- A strong predilection for legendary and historical drama.
- Dramatists drawing themes and characters from national theater traditions.
- Featuring a hero and heroine often shrouded in mystery.
- Works written in either prose or verse.
- Duke of Rivas
- Antonio García Gutiérrez
- José Zorrilla
Romantic Prose
- Ramón de Mesonero Romanos
- Serafín Estébanez Calderón
Key Romantic Writers and Works
José de Espronceda
- Short poems: Canción del pirata
- Longer poems: El estudiante de Salamanca and El diablo mundo
Duke of Rivas
- Theater: Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino
José Zorrilla
- Theater: Don Juan Tenorio
Mariano José de Larra
A prominent journalist and essayist.
Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
A late Romantic poet. His poetry is primarily composed of a collection of compositions called Rimas, which are short poems with simple assonant verses. His prose work includes Desde mi celda and Leyendas, which consist of short stories with a legendary flavor. El rayo de luna is a notable example.
Rosalía de Castro
Her work En las orillas del Sar features sad verses full of bitterness, pouring out her anguish and regret about existence, even leading her to demand death.
Realism and Naturalism
The Realistic Novel
This genre emerged towards the end of the 19th century, influenced by French narrative. It is distinguished by:
- Representing everyday life.
- Expressing itself through objective description, to which great importance is attached.
- Describing various environments in detail.
- Often tending towards the regional novel.
Naturalism
A literary trend that evolved from Realism, carrying its principles to extremes. It was especially prominent in France. Naturalism posits a certain conception of man and places characters in situations that explain their behavior through deterministic factors.
Key Realist Writers and Works
Benito Pérez Galdós
- Episodios Nacionales
- Doña Perfecta
- Fortunata y Jacinta
Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”
- La Regenta: Ana, young and beautiful but married to an older man who cannot have children, seeks solace in Fermín de Pas, a young master with the rank of priest. Ana eventually succumbs to Álvaro Mesía, a Don Juan. When her husband, Víctor Quintana, learns of this, he challenges Álvaro to a duel and loses. Álvaro flees, and Ana is despised by society.
Emilia Pardo Bazán
- Los Pazos de Ulloa
Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
- La barraca
- Cañas y barro