Azorín and Machado: Literary Paths in Modern Spain

Azorín (1896)

Azorín, in 1896 Madrid, collaborated with newspapers and magazines. His life, though quiet, included political involvement. He traveled extensively in Spain, less abroad, and was a leading figure of the Generation of '98 alongside Maeztu and Baroja. His themes included the reality of Spain, its landscapes, and people. His literary work divides into two groups:

• Essays: Focusing on landscape (Landscape of Spain) and reinterpreting classical texts (Castilla, People).
• Novels: With four stages:
  • Predominance of biographical elements and impressions (Confessions of a Little Philosopher).
  • Reflection of his concerns through characters (Destiny).
  • Marked by avant-garde and personal drama (People).
  • Fiction (The Island Without Aurora).

Machado

Machado was born in Seville. At age eight, he moved to Madrid, studying with Manuel Hermano. In 1902, he traveled to Paris, meeting Darío. He became a French professor at the Institute of Soria in 1907 and married Leonor Izquierdo in 1909, who died three years later. He then relocated to Baeza to teach. During the Spanish Civil War, he went into exile and died in Collioure. Although he wrote didactic prose and plays with his brother Manuel, he was primarily a great poet. His most representative work is Solitudes, Galleries, and Other Poems, exploring existential angst.

Machado used decadent language to describe landscapes and project his poetic voice and emotional state. His work evolved ideologically, addressing political and social issues (Fields of Castile). It also includes reflections on Leonor's death and philosophical musings. His ideological journey moved from liberalism to populism. His poetic language, formed by modernism and symbolism, achieved an intimate sobriety. He favored simple things, employing dodecasyllabic and Alexandrine verses. His subjects included landscapes, patriotic concerns, existentialism, and the expression of feelings.