Galician Literary Production in Exile: Genres and Authors

Galician Literature in Exile: Poetry, Narrative, and Theater

As a result of the Spanish Civil War, many Galicians, including writers, artists, and intellectuals, were forced into exile.

Poetry: Themes of Social Critique and Longing

Poetry was the genre most cultivated in Galician literature of exile. The topics discussed included social critique, reflection on the plight of immigrants and exiles, and the reclamation of the dignity and history of Galicia.

Major Poets and Works

• Luís Seoane: Notable works include Fardel de eisilado (Exile's Bundle) and Nube (Fog). His style is characterized by its accessibility, aiming for his lines to reach all readers.
• Lorenzo Varela: Began his literary activity in both Spanish and Galician. He published works such as Poemas para catro estampas (Poems for Four Prints). Themes in his work include the tragic experiences of the Civil War and the longing for his homeland.
• Emilio Pita: Published works such as Cántigas de nenos (Songs of Children) and A traila verdegal (The Green Trail), which expose the situation of migrants, the tragedy of the Civil War, and memories of the Galician landscape.

Narrative: Focusing on the Civil War Experience

The narrative of the Galician exile shows a clear preference for themes related to the Civil War and its aftermath. Among the authors who cultivated this genre, we must highlight the following:

• Antón Alonso Ríos: Chronicled his escape, disguised as a Galician beggar (esmolante), in the novel O siñor Afranio, ou como rispei das gadoupas da morte (The Siñor Afranio, or How I Slipped from the Jaws of Death).
• Silvio Santiago: Wrote Vilardevós about his childhood in his native village, and O silencio redimido (Silence Redeemed), which recreates his experiences during the war.
• Antonio Fernández Paz: In Terra Coutada (Fenced Land), he recreates the experience of a Galician nationalist teacher fleeing to Portugal during the Civil War.
• Ramón de Valenzuela: Published a novel chronicling his wartime experiences, Non agardei por ninguén (I Didn't Wait for Anyone), and another detailing his vicissitudes after the war, É hora de apandar (It's Time to Endure).

Theater: Cult and Popular Trends

In the theater of exile, two main trends coexisted:

1. A cult type, featuring innovative techniques and topics, represented by authors such as Castelao and Luís Seoane.
2. A popular and traditional type (enxebrista), represented by playwrights such as Manuel Varela Buxán and Ricardo Flores.

Key Playwrights and Dramatic Works

• Castelao: Published his only completed play, Os vellos non deben de namorarse (Old Men Should Not Fall in Love), which marked the aesthetic renovation of Galician theater. The work is divided into three acts, preceded by a prologue and followed by an epilogue. It presents three versions of the same scheme: an old man falls for a young woman, highlighting the impossibility of this love, which ultimately ends with the death of the old man.
• Eduardo Blanco Amor: Compiled his dramatic work in two volumes: Comedia para monicreques (Comedy for Puppets) and Drama para nós (Drama for Us).
• Manuel Varela Buxán: His plays are often costumbrist and humorous, but also incorporate social criticism, such as Se eu soubera... non voltaba á casa (If I Had Known... I Wouldn't Return Home) or O cego de Fornelos (The Blind Man of Fornelos).
• Luís Seoane: Wrote three dramas: As soldadeiras (The Soldier Women), A fiestra valdeira (The Empty Window), and Farsa do astrólogo irlandés (Farce of the Irish Astrologer).
• Ricardo Flores: Wrote works such as Nai e filla (Mother and Daughter).