20th Century World Events and Spanish Literature

The World in the Twentieth Century

Technological Advances and Major Conflicts

Technological advances marked the 20th century, alongside two World Wars and the Cold War.

Spain in the 20th Century

Politics and Society

1. Economy and Society: A rural country with little industry, marked by social differences and anarchism.
2. Politics: Spain lost its American colonies. Subsequent events included the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, the proclamation of the Second Republic, the Civil War, and finally, the establishment of General Franco's dictatorship.

20th Century European Literature

The 20th century opens with a crisis of conscience resulting from discontent and weariness with the previous century. Principal movements include:

1. Parnassianism

Seeking escape from the surrounding world and immersion in formal beauty. Key figure: Charles Baudelaire (The Flowers of Evil).

2. Decadentism

Seeking formal beauty by developing new aesthetics: the unhealthy, the sickly, the kitsch, the gross, and the vile. Key figure: Paul Verlaine (Poetry Saturn).

3. Symbolism

Aims to reach the depths of existence. Imagination creates the world of man. Key figure: Arthur Rimbaud (Illuminations).

Modernismo: Aesthetic Movement

An aesthetic movement seeking formal beauty as the only means of escape from everyday reality and to show disagreement with it.

1. Origins

Adopts the principles of:

• Technique and Parnassianism: Perfect escape from reality.
• Symbolism: Using symbols to evoke images of reality through language.

2. Characteristics

• Settings: Resort to exotic worlds (Eastern world), unreal settings, or remote times (medieval, Renaissance, Italian, and Greek mythology), using fabulous animals like centaurs, unicorns, and castles.
• Metrics: Adoption of French metrical forms and employment of some ancient verses, such as the Alexandrine verse.
• Style: Mixing the senses to create synesthesia; use of alliteration or internal parallel rhymes.

Spanish Representatives of Different Literary Genres

1. Poetry

• Manuel Machado (Caprichos and Souls)
• Antonio Machado (Campos de Castilla)
• Juan R. Giménez (Souls of Violet and Arias Sad)

2. Novel

• Valle-Inclán (Sonatas)

3. Theater

• Eduardo Marquina (Flade Not in the Sun Has Set)
• Valle-Inclán (Divinas Palabras and Luces de Bohemia)