The Catalan Renaixença in Mallorca: Literature, Language Models, and Key Figures

The Renaixença in Mallorca: Context and Impact

The lack of a dynamic bourgeoisie in Mallorca (it was primarily rural) meant that writers were more conservative. Consequently, the rebirth was a purely literary and cultural phenomenon without significant social impact.

Key Personalities

Among the personalities of this period, Maria Aguilar should be stressed. She was a poet whose themes focused on popular recreation, and she also worked as a lexicographer and folklorist. Josep Lluís Pons was the first to discuss the Majorcan School. His poetry focuses on the landscape, characterized by formal elegance and controlled passion.

Two Models of Language

There were two prevailing models of language:

1. The Collective Conversational Model: Referred to as "Catalan is spoken now," this model was defended by authors of popular theater.
2. The Cultivated Model: Supporters of this model, including Maria Aguilar and Manuel Milà, defended Medieval Catalan.

Two other factors influenced the idea of language unity: the name of the language itself, and the belief that the Catalan spoken in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands was the same language.

Poetic Forms of the Renaixença

Epic Poetry

Epic poetry embraces geological themes, elements of nature, and mythological influences. Decasyllabic and Alexandrine verses predominate.

Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry maintained three distinct styles:

• Religious poetry.
• Civil/Patriotic poetry.
• Folk poetry, which recreates legendary themes.

Prose and Journalism

Prose saw the emergence of travel books, which were descriptive, intense, and highly successful. This prose often adopted a Eurocentric approach, viewing itself as superior. In journalism, newspaper articles collected items related to violent, excited outbursts, often fueled by rumors.

A Major Playwright's Career

Born in 1845 in Tenerife to unmarried parents, this circumstance is cited as a factor in his later defense of the Catalan language. He wrote poetry and theater. His career is distinguished by four stages:

Stage 1 (1879–1890): Romantic Verse Dramas

He wrote verse dramas of a romantic nature, such as Mar i Cel (Sea and Sky).

Stage 2: Realism and Masterpieces

He focused on issues of human reality, producing his best works, including Terra Baixa (Lowlands) and Daughter of the Sea.

Stage 3: Transition to Modernism

He attempted to adapt to Modernism but did not fully succeed (e.g., The Holy Thorn).

Stage 4: Contemporary Issues

He wrote about contemporary factual issues (e.g., That Jesus Returns).