Spanish Poets of the Generation of ’27: A Literary Movement
The Generation of ’27: A Defining Literary Movement
The Poets and Their Formation
The group of poets formed by Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, Gerardo Diego, Rafael Alberti, Federico García Lorca, Dámaso Alonso, Luis Cernuda, Vicente Aleixandre, Manuel Altolaguirre, and Emilio Prados is known as the “Generation of ’27.” Some critics prefer to call it the “Poetic Group of ’27” due to their strong individualities. These writers often met at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid. In 1927, they participated in the commemoration of the tercentenary of the death of the Baroque poet Luis de Góngora at the Ateneo de Sevilla. They also collaborated on the same literary journals, the most important of which were the Revista de Occidente, founded by José Ortega y Gasset, and La Gaceta Literaria.
General Characteristics
The aesthetics of the Generation of ’27 are defined by a balance in several aspects:
- There are avant-garde elements (with influences from Ultraism and Creationism) alongside elements from the literary tradition (popular poetry, ballads, Góngora, etc.).
- Metrically, they employed avant-garde free verse, but also cultivated traditional forms such as sonnets and ballads.
- They combined the cultured and the popular, the esoteric and the clear.
Trajectory of the Generation of ’27
- Until 1927: This period saw an influx of avant-garde and “pure poetry” influences. They purified the human story of the whole poem and used metaphor. The influence of Góngora and his dark metaphors is also apparent.
- From 1927 to the Spanish Civil War: The social and political situation led them to engage with the world in which they lived, and Surrealist influence led to a re-humanization of their work. Alberti’s Sobre los ángeles exemplifies the Surrealist influence during this stage.
- After the Spanish Civil War: García Lorca was murdered, others were exiled (such as Alberti and Guillén), and those who remained in Spain developed a distressed tone in their existential poetry, as seen in Dámaso Alonso’s Hijos de la ira (1944).
Key Authors of the Generation of ’27
Pedro Salinas
Pedro Salinas is known for using cutting-edge elements. For example, he wrote a poem dedicated to the typewriter, typical of Futurism. To this age belong the works Presagios, Seguro azar, and Fábula y signo. After this period, he addressed themes of love and, after the Civil War, adopted a pained tone.
Vicente Aleixandre
He has two very distinct trends:
- Works with a traditional character, which are religious and amorous.
- Cutting-edge works. These works feature free verse, the absence of punctuation, the union of logic, and sentences without the use of unusual metaphors.
Destruction or Love (1935) is a highlight. In this book, love and death are one, because to reach the depths of love, the lover must be destroyed to live in the blood of the beloved.
Luis Cernuda
He grouped all his works under the title La realidad y el deseo. Cernuda’s works are influenced by Romanticism because the poet wants to love, but society prevents him. Some of his poems also show Surrealist influences.
Dámaso Alonso
His most important work is Hijos de la ira. The poet uses everyday language and employs “grotesque self-reproach,” insulting himself to express his disappointment with life more strongly.
Federico García Lorca
Romancero gitano is a highlight, a work that exalts the dignity of the Gypsy people. It contains both avant-garde and traditional elements. He also wrote Poet in New York, which criticizes New York City for the injustices committed against Black people and their dehumanization.
Rafael Alberti
His work Marinero en tierra is particularly noteworthy. He also wrote Sobre los ángeles, a work in which a strong Surrealist influence can be seen.