19th Century Catalan Society: Romanticism and Renaixença

The Catalan Bourgeoisie and 19th Century Politics

During the nineteenth century, the Catalan bourgeois class played a starring role, contributing to a chiseled profile of Catalan politics. In Catalonia, the defense of protectionist policies (laws to protect industry) found strong support. Catalan bourgeois intellectualism saw the revival of culture as a crucial channel for transmitting its class interests.

Intellectual Responses to the Industrial Revolution

Prominent figures proposed solutions and perspectives on the Industrial Revolution:

• Jaume Balmes: A significant intellectual figure.
• Mañé i Flaquer: Advocated for patriarchal values.
• Valentí Almirall: Responsible for creating Lo Catalanista (1886) and the newspaper Diari Català.
• Josep Torras i Bages: Author of La Tradició Catalana (1892), representing a more conservative Catalan perspective.

Romantic Poetry in Catalonia

Catalan Romantic poetry exhibited distinct characteristics:

• Literary Language: The literary language was quite uncertain, as poets were unsure if Spanish would become the dominant language, leading to the use of archaic formulas.
• Themes: Poets tended to express nostalgia and a strong connection to personal roots, often recreating more solid and heroic figures from the Middle Ages. Patriotic myths and themes included full-moon nights, mysterious ruins, exultant natural landscapes, love, and religious concerns.
• Form: Characterized by a strophic structure influenced by classical forms. Many authors rescued popular formulas and mimicked techniques of oral poetry transmission.

Key Catalan Romantic Poets

• Bonaventura Carles Aribau
• Manuel Milà i Fontanals
• Joaquim Rubió i Ors
• Marià Aguiló

Two important poets, Jacint Verdaguer and Pau Piferrer, were influenced by Romanticism but evolved into distinct poetic styles.

Romanticism in Spain

Spanish Romanticism emerged with significant developments:

• 1823-1824: This period marks the explosion of European Romanticism in Spain. It represents the emergence of magazines and the systematization of romantic ideals on the Peninsula.
• Defenders of Tradition: Many figures defended tradition and religion, often looking back to the Middle Ages.
• 1830: Ramón López Soler published Los bandos de Castilla. Its prologue is considered a "manifesto" of Spanish Romanticism.
• 1823-1833: Many intellectuals were exiled. Upon their return, liberal Romanticism emerged, heavily influenced by these ideals, including those of Victor Hugo.
• 1840-1850: The newspaper El Vapor served as a channel where ideas of moderate and more conservative liberal Romanticism coexisted.

La Renaixença: The Catalan Cultural Revival

La Renaixença (The Renaissance) was a global movement for the recovery of Catalan culture and identity during the nineteenth century, especially focusing on the dignification of the Catalan language and literature.

The term "Renaixença" began to be used when the restoration project was completed in 1870. This name was formally established in 1870 with the beginning of the publication of the magazine La Renaixensa.