Evolution of Spanish Literature: From Medieval to Modern

Literary Genres

The primary genres include lyric, dramatic, narrative, and didactic.

• Narrative: A narrator tells a story, often fictitious. While typically prose, it can also be written in verse.

Medieval Literature (5th–15th Century)

Early medieval prose emerged in the 13th and 14th centuries, notably under King Alfonso X the Wise, who authored the General Estoria and the Estoria de España. He is also known for the Cantigas de Santa Maria.

El Conde Lucanor (14th Century)

Written by Don Juan Manuel, nephew of Alfonso X. It focuses on themes of friendship and property. The structure consists of 51 short stories designed to provide didactic training and problem-solving.

Renaissance and Golden Age

• Knighthood: Includes works like Tirant lo Blanc and Amadís de Gaula.
• Sentimental: Focuses on love stories, such as La Galatea.
• Picaresque: Features realistic, marginalized protagonists from low social classes, such as Guzmán de Alfarache and Lazarillo de Tormes.

The 17th Century

Key figures include Lope de Vega, Calderón, Quevedo, Góngora, and Cervantes. Don Quixote (1605) is the definitive work of this era:

• Part 1: Action-oriented with a focus on travel.
• Part 2: Increased dialogue and prolonged stays in specific locations.

The 18th Century

The rise of the essay. Notable authors include Jovellanos (Memories), Feijoo, and Iriarte (The Donkey Flutist).

Romanticism (1st Half of the 19th Century)

• Subjectivism and individualism.
• Nature as a projection of the self.
• Interest in the supernatural, mysterious, national, and popular.
• Focus on lyrical and dramatic genres.
• Key figures: Bécquer (Rhymes and Legends) and Mariano José de Larra (Journalism).

Realism (2nd Half of the 19th Century)

Focuses on describing reality and analyzing human behavior within society.

• Galdós: Fortunata and Jacinta, Doña Perfecta.
• Leopoldo Alas 'Clarín': La Regenta.

Generation of '98

Analyzed the causes of national decadence and rejected realism.

• Unamuno: Mist.
• Pío Baroja: The Tree of Knowledge.
• Azorín: Castilian Soul.

20th Century Literature

Camilo José Cela: 1989 Nobel Prize winner, author of The Family of Pascual Duarte.

Post-War Novel (Francoism)

Characterized by conservative and existentialist literature, reflecting the despair caused by war. Notable female authors include Carmen Laforet, Carmen Martín Gaite, and Ana María Matute (The Abel).