Spanish Literature from the 19th Century to the Post-Civil War Period
Theatre to the Civil War
1900
At the height of the genre that dominates the scene is the “genero chico”, while still performing works of authors of the previous century as Galdós and Echegaray. Emerging trends and authors related to modernism arose, and in this line began his career Jacinto Benavente. Initially attached to the Symbolist aesthetic, his first book, The Alien Nest, away from the grandeur of the theater of Echegaray, was praised by the young modernists.
But modernism finally stereotyped theatrical aesthetic of a trend that will continue for quite some time: the poetic drama, which claims a return to the Spanish theatrical tradition and is inspired by Baroque comedies and romantic dramas. In this line belongs Eduardo Marquina with The Daughters of the Cid and The Great Captain.
The most important playwright, however, is Valle Inclán, creator of an increasingly personal theater and away from the conventional Spanish scene of his time. Put simply, we can divide his dramatic output in two stages: the primitive and the stage of “freaks”. The former is attributed to the “Comedy Barbarian” in which we present violence, cruelty, barbarism, overflowing passions and the rural world and its legends, myths and superstitions include populares.
The second stage, with a world of Divinas Palabras, is sordid and miserable dominated by greed and lust. But it is undoubtedly Bohemian Lights the key work of his poetic production and a milestone in the history of contemporary theater. Throughout the play’s 15 scenes, the last hours of Max Estrella, a blind poet, are delayed in the company’s cynical Híspalis Latino Don travels during one night, “a Madrid nonsense, brilliant and hungry” to death in their own portal.
To the generation of 27 belongs Lorca and his theater, which is separated from the dominant dramatic molds. Lorca was inclined at a very early stage and was assigned a dual role and social teaching. Their production is varied dramatically: he wrote farces for Guignol, Tragicomedy of Don Cristobal and Mrs. Rosita in the line of popular puppet theater, and farces. But his most important works are three tragedies: Blood Wedding, Yerma and The House of Bernarda Alba.
Literature After the Civil War
Poetry from 1939
Poetry in the 40s
Despite the general poverty of the culture during the 1st decade of the postwar period, poetry is perhaps the area in which there is greater richness and artistic diversity. Poets of the journal Gracilazo, within the ideological orbit of poetry winners defended traditional classicism of “good taste” and back care with the sonnet as a favorite verse. It is a “Poetry Rooted” in the words of Damaso Alonso because it aims to show a calm and orderly in the world, without the painful reality of the moment takes place in their verses. In this line highlighted José García Nieto, the most prominent representative of the aesthetic Garcilaso. Ridruejo, Luis Rosales, Leopoldo Panero, etc.
In 1944 there are two important milestones: the publication of Sons of Damaso Alonso’s Anger and the emergence of Cattail Magazine. These publications represent the starting point of the work of some poets to display their displeasure with the surrounding world his existential anxiety and the first signs of social and political protest. This “Poetry Uprooted”, again an expression of Damaso Alonso, calará deep in many of the poets of the time and have a decisive influence on the direction of poetry in the 50s. Garcilaso aestheticism Waterfront style is direct, and antiformal torn. Top representatives: Damaso Alonso and Eugenio de Nora.
The Social Poetry in the 50s
The 50s is still a lyrical testimony to the anguish of the writer, but the prevailing trend is for social poetry, whose purpose is to reflect the commitment of the poet with the historical reality and denounce injustice from solidarity with the suffering of others. Contribute to change society, which explains the use of rhetorical embellishment. The most representative are: Blas Otero with ANCI and I Call and The Word Peace. And Speaking Calmly Gabriel Celaya.
The Poetry of Miguel Hernandez
: after a formal beginning, from the lightning LCES not the poet began to try his favorite topics: life, death and love, especially in the form of sonnets. During the war he wrote wind of the people, with a style more popular, patriotic and military themes. His posthumous book, songs and ballads of absences is a collection of simple poems about jail and anguish over the fate of his wife and son