20th-Century Spanish Literature and Culture
Historical Context
- Reign of Alfonso XIII: His mother, Maria Cristina, ruled as regent until he assumed the throne.
- Primo de Rivera’s Rise to Power: Overthrew the regency of Maria Cristina.
- The Second Republic: King Alfonso XIII went into exile in Italy, leading to a period of instability and confrontation.
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939): A period of armed conflict.
- Franco’s Dictatorship: General Franco ruled Spain after the Civil War.
- Restoration of the Monarchy: Following Franco’s death in 1975.
Cultural
Read More20th Century Latin American Literature: Regionalism to Magical Realism
The Regional Novel: Traditional Realism
Early 20th Century Trends
- Romance of the Earth: This theme explores the struggle between civilization and nature in the American landscape, often with mixed outcomes.
- Formal Characteristics: Traditional realism is applied to the American context, featuring committed narrators, flat characters, detailed descriptions, and diverse language reflecting regional variations.
- Representative Works: The Vortex by José Eustasio Rivera, Don Segundo Sombra by Ricardo Güiraldes,
20th-Century Spanish Poetry: From Existentialism to Surrealism
From Existentialism to Surrealism in 20th-Century Spanish Poetry
Dámaso Alonso
Dámaso Alonso was a renowned scholar, researcher, creator, and reader. His deep knowledge of Spanish literature is evident in his essays, including The Poetic Language of Góngora (1935) and Spanish Poetry (1950), which focuses on Renaissance poets like Garcilaso, Fray Luis de León, and St. John of the Cross, as well as Baroque poets such as Lope, Quevedo, and Góngora.
His first book, Pure Poems and Short Poems of the
Read MoreSpanish Poetry: From Modernism to the Avant-Garde
Antonio Machado
Solitudes (1903)
Machado’s first book, Solitudes, reflects the modernist style with intimate and symbolist poetry from the period of 1889-1902. Published when Machado was 27, this short collection of 42 poems showcases his early poetic development. The tone is distinctly modernist, with strong intimist elements. The landscape becomes a projection of the poet’s mood, utilizing symbolism that would become a hallmark of his style—the park, the fountain, the evening. The passage of time
Read MoreThe Generation of ’14 and the Avant-Garde in Spain
The Generation of ’14 (Novecento)
The Generation of ’14 refers to a group of Spanish writers who chronologically fall between the Modernism movement, the Generation of ’98, and the Generation of ’27. Their primary objective was to aesthetically renew the literature and art of their time, moving towards a more modern style characteristic of the 20th century. These writers explored various fields of knowledge, not limiting themselves exclusively to literature. Essayists played a crucial role in this
Read MoreEvolution of Poetry and Prose: From Troubadours to Humanism
Survival of Troubadour Poetry
From the fourteenth century onward, European society shifted away from the strict feudal system. The growth of large cities gave way to an urban culture characterized by the emergence of a new social class: the bourgeoisie. Although Catalan-speaking society was deeply involved in this change, poetry based on the troubadour model continued to thrive into the 15th century.
Floral Games
In 1323, the Consistory of the Gaia Science was created to organize an annual poetry contest.
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