Generation of '27: Key Poets, Works, and Literary Evolution

The Generation of '27: Tradition and Avant-Garde

The Generation of '27 represents a unique synthesis of poetic tradition and avant-garde innovation. This group, which emerged in Seville during the 1927 homage to Góngora, did not arise as a rebellion against previous generations but rather as an evolution of intellectual and artistic thought.

Key Members of the Group

The core members include:

• Pedro Salinas
• Federico García Lorca
• Rafael Alberti
• Luis Cernuda
• Emilio Prados
• Manuel Altolaguirre
• Salvador Dalí (associated)

Literary Context (1920–1935)

The group was influenced by the symbolist work of Antonio Machado, the "pure poetry" of Juan Ramón Jiménez, and the theoretical essays of Ortega y Gasset, particularly The Dehumanization of Art. The Residencia de Estudiantes served as a vital hub for spreading these new poetic ideals.

Shared Stylistic Traits

The Generation of '27 is defined by several key characteristics:

• Synthesis of avant-garde and Spanish tradition
• Autonomous poetic language
• Hermetic style and pure creation
• Suppression of romantic pathos
• Artistic intranscendence (art for art's sake)
• Presence of neopopularism
• Insertion of human subjects
• Use of varied metric forms (sonnets, tenths)

Evolutionary Stages

1. Dehumanized Stage (1920–1927)

Focused on "pure poetry." Key works include Salinas's Presagios, Jorge Guillén's Cántico, Cernuda's Perfil del aire, and Dámaso Alonso's Poemas puros, poemillas de la ciudad.

2. Popular and Avant-Garde Influences

Incorporated folklore and old romances. Notable works: Lorca's Romancero gitano, Alberti's Marinero en tierra, and Gerardo Diego's Romancero de la novia.

3. Rehumanization Stage (1927–1936)

A shift away from formalist avant-garde, influenced by Neruda's Residencia en la tierra and J. Díaz Fernández's El nuevo romanticismo. This stage includes surrealist works like Lorca's Poet in New York and Alberti's Sobre los ángeles, eventually moving toward social and political poetry.

4. Exile and Disintegration (1939)

Following the Spanish Civil War, the group disintegrated. Many poets went into exile (Salinas, Guillén, Alberti, Prados), while others remained in Spain in "internal exile," such as Aleixandre and Dámaso Alonso, who published Hijos de la ira and Sombra del paraíso respectively.

Historical Valuation

The Generation of '27 remains the most significant movement in 20th-century Spanish poetry, bridging the gap between classical heritage and modern expression.