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Federico García Lorca: Biography (1898-1936)

Born in Granada, Federico García Lorca studied Law, Philosophy, and Music. He moved to the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid and later traveled to New York. He returned to Spain and subsequently made a trip to Argentina.

Personality: Characterized by overwhelming vitality, overflowing sympathy, existential pain, and frustration.

Themes in his work: Key themes include love, death, and the marginalization of individuals (like gypsies or the oppressed). His work represents a synthesis of popular tradition and avant-garde aesthetics, masterfully employing imagery, metaphors, and symbols.

Lorca's Poetic Evolution

His poetry evolved from initial simplicity to the powerful expression found in "Gypsy Ballads"

Antonio Machado (1875-1939)

Machado belonged to a liberal family. At eight years old, he traveled to Madrid to study at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. In 1899, he traveled to France where he met Rubén Darío. In 1907, he became a French professor in Soria. He married Leonor in 1910 and they traveled to France. Leonor died in 1912, making Machado's poetry more pessimistic. He spoke of Castile as a reflection of Leonor. His family advised him to return to Spain, but he soon returned to Segovia and later to Madrid. During the Civil War, he was persecuted and decided to take a boat to France, where he died in 1939. Some authors describe him as a modernist poet, while others place him in the Generation of '98 due to shared themes and attitudes.... Continue reading "Antonio Machado and Juan Ramón Jiménez: Spanish Literary Giants" »

Introduction

The post-Civil War era in Spain witnessed a significant shift. Under the dictatorship, the nation experienced hardship, and many intellectuals, including scientists, poets, and researchers, sought exile as freedom of expression became endangered. Those remaining faced restricted creative expression, aligning their work with the regime's ideology. This isolation further hindered Spain's intellectual growth and acceptance of new ideas.

The Forties: Repression and Censorship

The 1940s were marked by repression, poverty, and widespread censorship, both civil and ecclesiastical. Democracy was suppressed, and any expression contrary to the regime's political and religious views was stifled.

Poetry of the Seventies

In 1970, José M. Castellet'... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry Evolution: From Dictatorship to the 1970s" »

The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a tragic conflict that profoundly divided the 20th century. Despite the turmoil, Spanish literature experienced an era of grandeur, particularly in poetry. This period led some to speak of a second Silver Age or Golden Age, as authors from the Generations of '98 and '14 were still publishing, and the Generation of '27 was at its peak.

The War's Impact on Poets and Literature

The war brought death to some, like Federico García Lorca, and forced others into exile, including Juan Ramón Jiménez, León Felipe, Luis Cernuda, and Jorge Guillén. For those who remained, censorship became a pervasive reality.

"Rooted Poetry": Neoclassicism and Tradition

Among the poets who stayed in Spain, a logical "regulatory unity"... Continue reading "Spanish Poetry After the Civil War: A Literary Divide" »

Spanish Literature in the 1950s and 1960s

Poetry

The Decade of the 50: Most Representative Authors

• Blas Otero (1916-1979): Existential poetry, social poetry, new forms of expression
• Gabriel Celaya (1911-1991): Surrealist, intense and aggressive language

The Decade of the 60: Most Representative Authors

• Jose Hierro (1922-2002): Early works: search for happiness; later works: collective suffering and existentialism
• Claudio Rodriguez (1934-1999): Simple style, singular
• Angel Gonzalez: Social poetry
• Jaime Gil de Biedma: Intimate issues
• Jose Angel Valente: Secrecy

Novel

The Decade of the 50: Representative Authors

• Rafael Sanchez Ferlosio: Realistic approach, concentration of action
• Ignacio Aldecoa: Passion as a storyteller
• Jesus Fernandez Santos: Existential themes

The

16th Century Spanish Narrative

The prose narrative of the 16th century cannot be defined as the modern novel. Originating in Italy, it encompassed short stories, novels, and imitations of Cervantes. New genres emerged, such as the pastoral narrative, akin to lyrical poetry. A notable example is The Seven Books of the Diana by Jorge de Montemayor.

A unique genre was the Moorish-themed narrative, featuring the figure of the Moor, sometimes in tolerant coexistence with Christians. The anonymous Abencerraje and the Beautiful Jarifa is a prime example. These were not realistic depictions of Moorish life but idealized portrayals, similar to pastoral narratives. Francisco Delicado, author of the rich Andalusian work akin to La Celestina, stands out.... Continue reading "16th Century Spanish Literature: Genres and Evolution" »

In 1936, the Spanish Civil War erupted, profoundly impacting poetic groups and dividing society. This division was starkly reflected in the poetry of the era, with poetic culture often serving as a propaganda weapon.

Poetry in Exile After the Spanish Civil War

Many poets were forced into exile. Key figures and groups include:

• Poets of the Generation of '14: Notably Juan Ramón Jiménez.
• Poets of the Generation of '27: Including figures like Federico García Lorca (though his fate was tragic within Spain, many others from this generation went into exile).
• Poets whose work had barely begun:
  • Juan Gil-Albert: He managed to reconcile an initial serene and reflective poetry with moral-civic engagement.
  • Arturo Serrano Plaja: His work cries out against human

Chronicle of a Death Foretold: A Study of Honor and Revenge

The Presumed Guilt of Santiago Nasar

The novel's first paragraph introduces the presumed guilt of Santiago Nasar. Despite indications of his innocence, the narrative initially presents him as disgraced. Angela Vicario's statement, though protecting another, fuels this perception. Her declaration, "It was him," seemingly resolves the matter, yet leaves lingering doubt. This section also introduces the conservative moral conventions of women like Flora Miguel (Nasar's girlfriend) and contrasts them with the "stormy" Maria Alejandra Cervantes, a prostitute. Good women, like Angela and her mother, are raised to be subservient wives, accepting suffering to maintain order.

Angela's Recalled

Rafael Alberti: A Life in Poetry

Rafael Alberti (born in Puerto de Santa María, Spain, 1902) was a prominent Spanish poet. He studied at the Jesuit school in his hometown but was expelled for insubordination. In 1917, he moved with his family to Madrid, where he initially pursued painting while also developing an interest in Spanish Romantic and Modernist poets. However, his literary vocation soon took precedence. In 1925, he published Marinero en tierra, a collection of poems that earned him the National Prize for Literature, shared with Gerardo Diego. He followed this with other works inspired by Andalusian folklore and the poetry of *cancioneros* (songbooks).

The commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Góngora's death, a significant event... Continue reading "Rafael Alberti and Vicente Aleixandre: Spanish Poets" »

The Generation of '27: A Spanish Literary Movement

The Generation of '27 was a constellation of writers who emerged in the Spanish cultural scene around 1927, which marks the tercentenary of the death of the baroque poet Luis de Góngora. Building on this date, Culteranismo poets asserted the author's honor, tarnished by 19th-century criticism. They celebrated Góngora at the Ateneo de Sevilla.

His aesthetic attempted to find common elements between classical and popular literary tradition and the aesthetic avant-garde, both Spanish and European. It evolved from pure poetry, the avant-garde dehumanized (Futurism, Cubism, Ultraism, Creationism), and the frigid metaphor of Góngora, to human engagement involving the disclosure of surrealism and... Continue reading "Generation of '27: Spanish Literary Movement & Poets" »