Catalan Literature: Modernism to Noucentisme

Catalan Literature: From Modernism to Noucentisme

Key Literary Works and Authors

"The Slope" by Clementine Ardiu reflects on the equilibria between the good and the bad in life. (19th Century).

"I would not be more than a bird alone," by Carles Riba, explores themes of nature, *tempus fugit*, and love. (Noucentisme).

"Súnion!" by Carles Riba, expresses ideals of democracy and freedom, and a perfect mental identification with the temple while in exile. (Noucentisme). "Mutilated Temple."

"Ode to Catalonia from the Tropics," by Agustí Bartra, conveys a longing for his country, which has become a strange land to him. "The furious tropic of the Silver Cross thrusts my face."

"Sun and Mourning," by J.V. Foix, deals with the clarification of his imaginary world and solitude, blending with nature and the past. "It is when..."

"The Morning Song," by Salvador Espriu, shows the days of bitterness for the war in Arenys, and death. "Miss the way that you will never return."

"Essay Song in the Temple," by Salvador Espriu, expresses a desire to leave his country, Catalonia, due to the civil war, but he is opposed to it. Written in the first person.

Realism and Naturalism

Realism was a dominant movement of the 19th century across Europe, focused on the novel, that tried to reflect the society of the time, in contrast to the frequent evasion of the past implied by Romanticism. It gave rise to Naturalism, created by Émile Zola in France, which sought to delve into the biological and environmental causes of human behavior.

Key Authors and Works:

• The Human Comedy by Honoré de Balzac
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• Germinal by Émile Zola
• The Red and the Black by Stendhal
• Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Narcís Oller

Narcís Oller's first novel, *The Butterfly* (1882), tells the story of a seducer who repents after the death of one of his lovers. His next novel, *L'Escanyapobres* (1884), centered around a couple's breakdowns in a village undergoing industrial transformation, was much harsher, with no concessions to sentimentality, and more aligned with the naturalist spirit. *La Febre d'Or* (*The Gold Rush*), published in three volumes from 1890 to 1892, and *La Bogeria* (*Madness*) in 1898, are considered among the author's best works.

Àngel Guimerà

Àngel Guimerà began his literary career as a poet. His play, *Galla Placídia*, is notable. His work can be divided into three phases:

• Historical Tragedies: Written in verse, this is the stage of *Mar i Cel* (*Sea and Sky*) (1888).
• Realistic Works: Prose set in the author's modern times, such as *Terra Baixa* (*Low Earth*) (1894).
• The Last Step: An attempt to return to the spirit of his early tragedies.

Key Biographical Features of Guimerà:

• Complex Hybrid: Son of a Catalan father and a Canarian mother, he was a deeply convinced Catalan.
• Parents Married After His Birth: He was a very religious man.
• Failed Love: His relationship with Maria Rubio did not result in marriage, which caused him frustration.

Modernism

Modernism began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, referring to novelty or modernity. It marked the beginning of a constant throughout the 20th century: the obsession with breaking from the past, burning bridges, and looking toward the future. The 20th century brought, among other things, a constant celebration of novelty.

Catalan Modernism

Catalan Modernism originated in the plastic arts, especially architecture, with a decorative and spectacular movement (Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènech i Montaner). However, it was not a homogeneous movement, encompassing two main trends:

• Regeneracionisme: Advocated for social change and sought the political "regeneration" of society (Joan Maragall).
• Aestheticism: Focused on the necessary transformation of society, emphasizing the role of art, music, and painting (Santiago Rusiñol).

Catalan Modernism was divided into two stages:

• 1892-1900: The most combative stage of Modernism, with ideas expressed in four journals (*L'Avenç*, *Catalònia*, *Quatre Gats*, and *Pèl & Ploma*).
• 1900-1911: A more literary and less ideological stage. Modernism was assimilated by the Catalan bourgeoisie, with *Joventut* as the most significant magazine.