European Romanticism: Prose Literature and Key Figures

Romanticism: Origins and Characteristics

Romanticism is a cultural, literary, and artistic movement that took place in Europe during the first half of the 19th century. Its emergence coincided with the crisis of absolute monarchies. In this era, nationalism also developed, asserting the culture and language of each nation. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the bourgeoisie became the ruling social class. Liberalism emerged as an ideological movement advocating economic and political freedom. Idealism replaced rationalism.

The first manifestations of Romanticism appeared in Germany in the late 18th century through the Sturm und Drang movement (meaning 'Storm and Stress' or 'Storm and Passion'). Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a pre-Romantic writer who authored The Sorrows of Young Werther, a novel about an impossible love that culminates in the narrator's suicide.

Key Sub-Genres of Romantic Prose

The Historical Novel

The historical novel is an indisputable creation of Romanticism. It triumphed in Spain, notably influenced by Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, which saw numerous translations into Castilian, similar to works like Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers. The Romantics' interest in the Middle Ages, the national past, and a trend towards the exotic explain the popularity of these novels, which were often based on legendary characters, intrigue, and passions.

Pictures of Manners

The pictures of manners responded to the Romantic taste for popular and folk traditions of each region or country. These were short stories or vignettes full of scenes depicting folk customs and typical human types, highlighting what was castizo (authentic Spanish) and picturesque. These sketches also served to inspire figures like Larra, paving the way for the realistic novel of the second half of the century.

The Legend Genre

The legend genre showcased the Romantic interest in the mysterious, the fantastic, and the sentimental. In Spain, Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer's prose legends, for example, often took the form of short narratives. Legends were also written in verse, such as José de Espronceda's The Student of Salamanca.

The Newspaper Article

The newspaper article was an important means of expression. Articles of all kinds were published, including literary criticism, philosophical ideas, and observations on customs. Mariano José de Larra was undoubtedly the era's preeminent journalist.

Mariano José de Larra: A Key Romantic Figure

Mariano José de Larra, born in Madrid in 1809, and his family were forced to emigrate to France in 1813, where Larra lived until 1818. At 19, he began publishing satirical pamphlets, such as The Satirical Goblin of the Day and The Anonymous Coward. He adopted the pseudonym 'Figaro' and wrote articles expressing his disillusionment with politics. In 1837, at 28 years old, he committed suicide following his rupture with Dolores Armijo, who was his great love. Larra's work consistently championed freedom and tolerance, critically examining the realities of his time. His newspaper articles are considered his most significant works.