Catalan Literary Movements: Avant-gardism & Noucentisme

Avant-gardism in Catalan Literature

Avant-gardism represents a current of authors who adopted a critical and committed stance, struggling against:

• The increasingly strong tension between the bourgeoisie and the working class.
• The profound consequences of the First World War.

These artists were often classified as "terrorists" due to their fervent desire to seek new ways to express art and challenge established standards. A notable example is Joan Salvat-Papasseit.

Key Figures of Catalan Avant-gardism

Joan Salvat-Papasseit: A Rebellious Spirit

Joan Salvat-Papasseit (1894-1924) was born into a humble, proletarian family and became orphaned early in life. His poems speak of love, the daily lives of ordinary people, and the humble pride of expressing these realities aloud. He personally experienced social injustice. This self-taught writer from Barcelona possessed a humble yet highly rebellious spirit. Known as a leading poet, he was also a prolific writer of articles on social criticism in both Spanish and Catalan, sympathizing with the anarchist and socialist currents of his time. His energetic and impulsive life contrasted sharply with the routine and forced rest imposed by his health problems. A significant work is "The Poem on the Pink Lips" (1923).

Salvador Espriu: Poet of Memory and Peace

Salvador Espriu (1913-1985) is characterized by the need to delve into memory and a constant meditation on death, which are prominent features of his poetry. His experience after the Spanish Civil War significantly influenced his works. He also expressed the dream of freedom, coexistence, and peace for the people of Catalonia. Espriu's poetic orientation, rooted in social thought, gained a significant political echo. He became recognized as a national Catalan poet with existentialist leanings.

Noucentisme: Order and Culture in Catalonia

Noucentisme was a cultural and political movement that began in Catalonia around 1906, coinciding with the creation of Solidaritat Catalana, and concluded in 1923 with the coup d'état of Miguel Primo de Rivera. This movement led to the creation of a network of Catalan teaching libraries, museums, newspapers, and editorial publications. It represented a moderate response to the proposals promoted by Modernism. Its principles were first articulated in the "Glosses" of Eugeni d'Ors. Noucentisme ushered in a new century with proposals for change that broke with the old order. The Noucentistes aimed to realize a combination of politics and culture, understanding that without the support of the bourgeoisie, such a project would be impossible.

Noucentisme emphasized the imposition of reason, accuracy, serenity, order, and clarity. Key characteristics include:

• Classicism: Valuing classical culture, harmony, balance, and emotional restraint.
• Mediterraneanism: Characterized by clear light, vibrant colors (white, blue, green), and the concept of human mastery over nature.
• Civilisme: Focusing on urban culture, good manners, and Catalan urbanity.
• Arbitrarism: The belief that the poet should not be subject to any external cause, only to their art.

Leading Authors of Noucentisme

Josep Carner and Eugeni d'Ors

The most important authors of this period are Josep Carner and Eugeni d'Ors.

Josep Maria de Sagarra: Master of Human Nuances

Josep Maria de Sagarra (1894-1961) was a writer fascinated by the spectacle of life and the nuances of human behavior. He developed poetic formulas that allowed him to translate complex situations and human intricacies into understandable, rich, and resourceful language, characterized by great musicality and a strong sense of rhythm. He skillfully utilized forms and figures from traditional literature and demonstrated a vast command of language.