20th Century Spanish Literature: A Comprehensive Overview
20th Century Spanish Literature
Previous Novel
The Generation of ’98: This movement centers on the landscape of Spain. It emphasizes intrahistory, simplicity, and clarity. The plot is important and style should not be an obstacle.
Generation of ’14: This group brought an intellectual approach to the problem of Spain. They compared Spain with Europe and sought to modernize the university. They were approaching power with a brilliant, perfectionist style. They disengaged art from life and utilized the
Read MoreSpanish Renaissance Literature: A Golden Age of Arts and Letters
1. The Renaissance (16th and 17th Centuries)
Spain’s Dominance in Europe
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods (also known as the Golden Age), Spain experienced a time of great splendor in arts and literature. This ideological and artistic movement, which originated in Italy, sought to revive the classical world and brought about significant historical, social, religious, and cultural changes. The Renaissance introduced a modern outlook characterized by:
- Creation of an Empire: The Catholic Monarchs
Figures of Repetition, Figures of Meaning, Figures of Suppression, Figures of Order
Figures of Repetition
Alliteration
Repetition of one or more phonemes in a verse, can to imitate a sound.
Anaphora
Repetition of a word at the beginning of each line or phrase.
Parallel
Repeat syntactic structures.
Pleonasm
Unnecessary words for your understanding, expressiveness provide consequence.
Polysyndeton
Continuous repetition of conjunctions.
Figure of Meaning
Allegory
Changes the overall meaning to express a different idea using the continuous process of metaphor.
Antithesis
Opposite words or sentences
Read More20th-Century Spanish Theater: An Overview
1940s: Theater in Times of War
The harsh conditions of World War II significantly impacted literature and theater. Authors faced scarcity, strict censorship, and a new competitor: cinema.
Triumphant Theater
Dramatic forms and themes from before the Spanish Civil War continued. The “high comedy” of Jacinto Benavente, based on sharp and witty dialogue, did not see much innovation.
The postwar period saw a rise in humorous theater with playwrights like Enrique Jardiel Poncela and Miguel Mihura. Both sought
Read MoreRomanticism in 19th Century European Literature
The Romance
Romantic Ideology
The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries saw substantial political and social changes, such as the French Revolution and the independence of American colonies. This was a time of political upheaval, as the struggle for bourgeois revolution and liberalism began to succeed. This era emphasized individualism and freedom (economic, political, religious, news, etc.) against the powers of state or church. It did not accept the existence of absolute truths, valid for
Read MoreSpanish Baroque Literature: A Deep Dive into 17th-Century Culture
History and Society (17th Century)
The 17th century in Spain was checked by political and social decline. The monarchy’s era of absolute luxury coexisted with widespread poverty and hunger, while old social and religious prejudices were revitalized. It was a period of impoverishment.
Culture
Culture during the Baroque era was bright, varied, and elaborate. It reflected a deep pessimism, insecurity, uneasiness, and fear stemming from the social crisis. It accentuated the departure from the humanist
Read More