19th-Century Catalan Literature: Romanticism, Realism & Key Authors

Romanticism in Catalan Literature

Romanticism, a significant movement originating in the nineteenth century, brought about major changes in culture and the aesthetic conceptions of the time. In Catalonia, Romantic ideals arrived through the Renaixença, a national and cultural revival movement. This movement successfully revitalized literature and art, pulling them out of a crisis that had persisted for the previous three centuries.

Key ideals of Catalan Romanticism included:

• Emphasis on imagination, fantasy, and even utopia over reason.
• Focus on national identity and the freedom of its people.
• Exploration of nostalgic and melancholic emotions.
• Emphasis on individualism and artistic subjectivity.
• Rejection of the rigid rules of Neoclassicism, the preceding movement.
• The desire to provide a solid foundation for Catalan literature.

Jacint Verdaguer: Poet of the Renaixença

Jacint Verdaguer (Folgueroles, 1845 - Vallvidrera, 1902) was a pivotal figure in Catalan Romanticism. At the age of ten, he began his studies at the priestly seminary of Vic. By twenty, he had won two awards in the Floral Games (Jocs Florals) of Barcelona. At twenty-five, he embarked on a two-year journey that inspired him to write one of his most famous epic poems, L'Atlàntida.

A trip to the Holy Land deeply moved him, leading to a change in his attitude towards society and the Church (Església). He faced conflicts with high ecclesiastical hierarchies, leading to his assignment to the sanctuary of La Gleva. He eventually left without permission, and his license to celebrate Mass was temporarily suspended, though later restored.

He was particularly noted as a poet. His work revolves around three key themes, already evident in his youth: religion, nature, and country (pàtria).

Major Works by Verdaguer:

• L'Atlàntida (1877)
• Canigó (1886)
• Montserrat (1889)
• Aires del Montseny (1901)
• Nazareth (1890)

Àngel Guimerà: From Romantic Drama to Realism

Àngel Guimerà i Jorge (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 1845 - Barcelona, 1924) was a prominent Catalan playwright and poet. At the age of eight, his family moved to El Vendrell. The fact that his parents were not married and his unrequited love for Maria Rubió significantly influenced his character and his work.

He initially wrote in Spanish but soon gained recognition for his articles in Catalan. He began writing for the theater at the age of 34, already known as a poet. His dramatic career is divided into three periods:

• 1879-1890: Romantic Period. He wrote tragedies in verse of 10 syllables, often with themes set in distant times or places, such as Sea and Sky (1885).
• 1890-1900: Period of Maturity. He abandoned verse and began to write realistic dramas in prose, using colloquial language, such as Maria Rosa (1894).
• 1900-1924: Later Period. He sought to renew his plays by adapting to new theatrical trends, including Symbolist poetry and theatrical approaches favored by younger playwrights, but he did not fully achieve this. An example from this period is The Spider (1906).

The Rise of Realism in Catalan Novels

During Romanticism, the most characteristic narrative forms were the historical novel and sketches of manners (quadres de costums). With the crisis of Romanticism across Europe, Realism emerged, with the realistic novel as its quintessential genre.

A realist writer adopts an objective viewpoint when dealing with their literary material, avoiding the intrusion of their own opinions and feelings. Realistic literature, guided by the principle of verisimilitude, is often characterized by:

1. The depiction of settings and social environments familiar to the author.
2. The use of a third-person omniscient point of view, allowing the narrator to encompass the fictional world in its entirety while maintaining maximum objectivity and impartiality.
3. References to contemporary events and customs.
4. Detailed descriptions of places, objects, and characters.
5. The reproduction of colloquial language and speech patterns.
6. The use of words and technical terms drawn from business and science.
7. The inclusion of documents, letters, etc., to lend an air of authenticity to the described events.

Narcís Oller: Pioneer of the Catalan Realist Novel

Narcís Oller i Moragas (Valls, 1846 - Barcelona, 1930) was educated in an enlightened and cultured atmosphere. He studied law in Barcelona and balanced his legal career with a dedication to literary fiction, initially writing in Spanish but definitively transitioning to Catalan from 1877.

His literary career can be divided into three stages:

1. 1872-1883: Learning Period. This stage is marked by the influence of French literature.
2. 1884-1898: Realist/Naturalist Period. He took the realistic novel as his model, with a resolutely Naturalist approach.
3. Since 1900: Post-Naturalist Period. This stage saw the introduction of new techniques, representing a break with Naturalism.