Spanish Poets: Cernuda, Alonso, and Aleixandre
Luis Cernuda (1902-1963)
Luis Cernuda was born in Seville. He went into exile after the Civil War, living in England and America, and finally died in Mexico. His work is characterized by a grave tone, a deep and sincere passionate intimacy (homosexual), and an often elegiac poetry that conveys authenticity. His verses are lyrically dense and offer the desolate feeling of the poet in a rough or violent and nostalgic context.
Key Works:
- Reality and Desire (1936): Includes all his work up to that point,
Modernism in Catalan Literature: Art, Society, and Key Figures
The Dawn of the 20th Century: A Changing World
The advances of industrial civilization were transforming modern life. The Belle Époque, a euphoric period of peace, creativity, and technological development, was led by the European bourgeoisie. However, a state of tension and aggressive criticism existed among intellectuals against the injustices of capitalism in the metropolis and the colonies of imperialism. This period stimulated the progress of science and technology, but was followed by World
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**Lírica: Gender Literary in the 20th Century**
**Cultivators**
- a) Those who seek the essence of poetry (pure poets).
- b) Those who use poetry to express their inner turmoil (existentialists) or feelings of the collective.
- c) Those who break sharply with tradition (Vanguard).
**In Europe**
- a) Pure poets such as Mallarmé and Paul Valéry.
- b) Poets with social anxiety such as Rilke and Yeats.
- c) Those who seek a total liberation of man, like Paul Éluard and Neruda.
**Spanish Poetry: Second Phase**
**Generation
Read MoreSpanish Literature: Post-War to 1970s – Key Authors & Movements
Spanish Literature: Post-War to 1970s
1940s: Literature of Impoverishment and Censorship
Poetry: The death or exile of major writers before the war impoverished the literature of this period. Censorship affected all areas of society, especially literature. Writers, according to their political positions, tried to express their feelings (life, death, longing, love) in traditional or free verse. Notable authors include Damaso Alonso, whose book “Children of Wrath” (1944) is considered an example of
Read MoreSpanish Poetry After the Civil War: Trends and Evolution
Spanish Poetry After the Civil War
At the end of the war, the cultural outlook was bleak: death, exile. In 1939, the practice resulted in a near-zero output of poetry in Spain. Lorca and Machado were dead, and much of the Generation of ’27 was exiled. The Silver Age had reached its tragic end. Between 1939 and 1975, Spain lived under the dictatorship of General Franco. The postwar period was characterized by international isolation and political repression. The poets who remained in Spain either
Read More19th-Century Literary Figures: Lives and Works
Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)
Heinrich Heine, born into a Jewish family, lived in Paris from 1831 until his death. In 1933, his works were burned by the Nazis. Although critics valued his prose more, his fame is due to his lyrical production. The Book of Songs (1827) had several editions, and in 1851, he published a book of ballads.
José de Espronceda (1808-1842)
José de Espronceda was born in Pajares de la Vega to a wealthy family. In 1820, he moved to Madrid and devoted himself to politics and literature.
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