Catalan Modernism and the Mallorcan Literary School

Catalan Modernism and Cultural Transformation

The objective of Modernism (Modernisme) is to transform the Catalan regional and national culture, which was considered outdated (enderrerida), to meet modern demands through two primary actions: a radical break with official Spanish culture and the Catalan Renaixença, and an opening to Europe to incorporate ideas that identify Catalan culture with European modernity. It reacts against materialism and recovers individualistic traditions, valuing the spiritual.

The Traits of the Modernist Artist

• Modernity: The transformation of Catalan culture, which was seen as too conservative and outdated.
• Individualism and Messianism: The artist feels like a bearer of values superior to the rest of society, possessing greater sensitivity and acting as a leader for ideological and moral renewal.
• Confrontation with Society: The artist criticizes social backwardness (enderreriment) and immobilism.
• Professionalization: Modernists believe that being an artist is a worthy profession, struggling to achieve recognition for their work.

Core Topics of the Movement

• Artist-Society Conflict: The artist faces the Catalan bourgeois society, which rejects proposed renewals and modernity. This rejection reinforces the figure of the modernist hero who tends toward struggle and individual isolation.
• Nationalism: A progressive and regenerative vision of Catalonia. Modernist literature insists on myths and legends as reflections of the "Catalan soul."
• Nature and Landscape: Following a light romantic trend, the modernist mood is projected onto nature, praising the harmony of the cosmos. Elements of nature symbolize abstract concepts of good or evil.
• Vital Attitude: Nonconformity, inner strength, and the individual's willingness to fight are manifested mainly in the poetry of Joan Maragall, influenced by Nietzsche.

Joan Maragall and the Spiritual Mission

Joan Maragall is the most important poet of Modernism. He believes the poet has a divine mission to see the spiritual reality of things. The poet is a special being, a genius; however, society often fails to understand them, viewing them as outcasts. Maragall reveals reality through the "inspired word," a concept known as espontaneisme (spontaneity).

The Concept of the Mallorcan School

The designation Escola Mallorquina (Mallorcan School) was first used by the poet Pons i Gallarza in the Balearic Magazine (1873). This concept designates the literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries produced by poets in Mallorca, specifically followers of Joan Alcover and Miquel Costa i Llobera.

This group includes names such as Maria Antònia Salvà, Llorenç Riber, and Miquel Ferrà. It encompasses a set of specific literary characteristics distinct from the literature of the Principality.