Galician Modernism and Vanguard Poetry: A Literary Analysis

Modernism in Galician Literature

Modernism in Galicia addresses evasion issues and seeks to give precedence to sensory musicality. This modality belongs to works such as No Desterro, Vento Mareiro, and Da terra asoballada.

Narrative Poetry and Symbolism

Narrative poetry, such as the legend of St. Amaro, provides a descriptive account of the life and work of the monastery where he rested. The peak of this creativity occurred during the maximum splendor of Galicianism, supported by the Seminar of Galician Studies.

• Cabanillas: Connects Galicia to universal myths, such as the Grail in O Cebreiro and Excalibur in Sálvora.
• Style: The poetry is fraught with heavy symbolism and modernist adjectivation.
• Meter: Ballads often combine the Alexandrine verse, common in modernism.

Theatrical Contributions

At the request of Antón Vilar Ponte, two theatrical pieces were composed:

1. A man da santina: A bourgeois comedy.
2. O Mariscal: A historical tragedy in verse focusing on Pedro Pardo de Cela, a symbol of rebellion against Castile.

These works are characterized as poetic dramas, utilizing a modernist style that avoids mythologizing characters and environments.

The Vanguard Movement

The Vanguard movement produced a generalized modernization across all levels of Galician literature. Poetry was not exempt from this process.

The Generation of '25

At the beginning of the century, the Xeración do 25 initiated the first attempts to connect Galician poetry with European Vanguard movements, overcoming the limitations of the Rexurdimento. This era saw the publication of magazines presenting Vanguard ideas, influenced by surrealism and the manifestos of poets like Manuel Antonio.

Vanguard Trends in Galicia

Within the Galician Vanguard movement, we distinguish several currents:

• Creationism: Represented by Manuel Antonio, considered the true Galician Vanguard.
• Ultraism and Surrealism: Represented by Álvaro Cunqueiro and Montes.
• Hylozoism: Represented by Amado Carballo.
• Neotrobadorismo: Represented by Cunqueiro and Bouza Brey.