Exiled Voices and 1940s Currents in Spanish Poetry

Spanish Poetry in Exile: Voices of the Generation of '27

The Spanish Civil War and subsequent dictatorship led to the exile of many intellectuals and artists. Among them were prominent poets of the Generation of '27. With the notable exceptions of Gerardo Diego, Dámaso Alonso, and Vicente Aleixandre, many key figures wrote and published outside Spain, including Pedro Salinas, Luis Cernuda, Jorge Guillén, Rafael Alberti, Manuel Altolaguirre, and Emilio Prados. Juan Ramón Jiménez, also in exile, continued to produce his final works.

These exiled poets followed diverse paths, yet their productions were universally outstanding. Initially, their work was often filled with anguish, frequently addressing the theme of Spain. These authors continued the poetic tradition of modernity, eventually moving beyond the pain of the past towards a sense of redemption or deeper understanding. The work of some of them significantly influenced later Spanish poets.

Key Poets of the Exile

• Emilio Prados (1899-1962)

  In the abundant poetic output of Prados, his melancholic tone and the theme of humanity's search for unity and harmony with the cosmos are prominent. Exile intensified his disorientation and confusion, leading him to seek a more perfect reality than the one he lived. His work, heavily influenced by symbolism and surrealism, features light as a central symbol. His collection, Closed Garden (1946), constitutes the core around which all other symbols revolve.

• Manuel Altolaguirre (1905-1959)

  Considered one of the most communicative poets of his generation, Altolaguirre showed limited interest in the avant-garde. He was more drawn to the classics, such as Garcilaso de la Vega and San Juan de la Cruz, much like Juan Ramón Jiménez and Pedro Salinas. For Altolaguirre, poetry was a source of knowledge, and his work is dominated by a strong sense of loneliness, derived from his unique conception of life.

• León Felipe (1882-1968)

  León Felipe is hardly found within pre-war poetic trends; rather, he was profoundly influenced by the American poet Walt Whitman. His work often reflects a universal, prophetic voice.

Spanish Poetry: 1940s Movements and Poets

The 1940s in Spain saw the emergence of several distinct poetic lines. Early in the decade, a neoclassical poetry emerged, whose thematic clusters—love, religion, and empire—coincided with the ideals of the Nationalist regime. Furthermore, an existentialist line appeared, which became prominent in the second half of the decade, focusing on human anguish. Finally, towards the mid-1940s, an avant-garde stream emerged, connecting with the innovations of the Generation of '27.

Neoclassical Poetry of the 1940s

In the 1940s, literary magazines played a crucial role in disseminating these new literary currents. The core journals of the neoclassical current were Escorial and Garcilaso.

The magazine Escorial, which emerged in 1940, served as the first intellectual propaganda organ of the new Spain. Its contributors progressively cultivated an intimate, realistic, and thoughtful poetry with significant characteristics. Among them were Luis Rosales and Leopoldo Panero (from the Generation of '36), who advocated for a realistic, everyday poetry.

Prominent Neoclassical Poets

• Luis Rosales (1910-1992)

  His best work, La Casa Encendida (The House Aflame), explored religious themes. It was written in colloquial language, focusing on everyday life as its primary referent.

• Leopoldo Panero (1909-1962)

  Panero's poetry was characterized by intimacy and an appeal to the ideas of family, homeland, God, and especially the passage of time. Throughout his work, re-humanization and religiosity are prominent characteristics.