Generation of '27: Pillars of 20th Century Spanish Poetry

The Generation of '27 in Spanish Literature

Definition

The term Generation of '27 refers to the group of Spanish poets who shared common features and began writing in the 1920s. The name specifically references the year 1927, when most members participated in a tribute to the Baroque poet Luis de Góngora. Some critics argue that this period represents the Silver Age of Spanish literature.

Authors and Core Features

The central core of the Generation included:

• Pedro Salinas
• Jorge Guillén
• Dámaso Alonso
• Gerardo Diego
• Federico García Lorca
• Rafael Alberti

These writers shared several key characteristics:

• Many coincided at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid.
• They were of similar age and possessed a high literary culture.
• They generally held liberal attitudes and supported the Republic.
• Collaborated in the same literary journals.
• Recognized Ortega y Gasset and Juan Ramón Jiménez as mentors.
• Grew the importance of metaphor significantly in their style.

Poetic Characteristics

1. Modernity and Originality: There was a strong emphasis on the importance of Modernism and a desire for originality.
   • Surrealism left its impression on Lorca, Alberti, Cernuda, Aleixandre, and sometimes Gerardo Diego.
   • Futurism appeared, for instance, in Alberti's poems about cycling.
   • The Avant-garde influence is noted for the cultivation of metaphor and surprising, sometimes ironic, images created by connecting disparate elements, resulting in something new and unexpected.
2. Respect for Literary Tradition: They sought a balance between tradition and modernity, making a perfect synthesis in their metrics by using both traditional forms and free verse.

Themes

• Civitas Hominum (The City): The city became a prominent theme, accompanied by explorations of modern life's comforts, its frivolous aspects, human progress, and eventually, criticism of its negative sides.
• Nature: Often associated with daily life and memories.
• Love: A frequent theme, sometimes appearing with notable eroticism.
• Political Commitment: Before 1936, they generally avoided overtly political and social poetry. Later, particularly during and after the Spanish Civil War, literature became more engaged, reflecting committed attitudes.
• Other Topics: Death, loneliness, and nostalgia were also recurring themes.

Stages of the Generation's Poetry

The evolution of their poetry can be broadly divided into stages:

1. First Stage (until ~1927-29): Characterized by pure poetry, often with intellectualism and reduced sentimentality.
2. Second Stage (~1929 - Civil War): Marked by the influence of Surrealism, rehumanization, and exploration of social problems and darker personal themes.
3. Third Stage (During and After Civil War): Development of committed poetry addressing social and political issues, often reflecting the trauma of war and exile.
4. Fourth Stage (Later years): Poetry reflecting themes of uprootedness, existential concerns, and nostalgia, particularly for those living in exile.

Poets of the Generation of '27

Pedro Salinas (1891-1951)

• Born in Madrid; he was a professor with liberal ideas.
• His Poetry: Expresses reality through paradoxes and intellectual games or ideas.
• Language and Metrics: Characterized by short verses, sometimes using the silva form.
• Career:
  • Initial Stage (1923-1931): Focused on pure poetry (e.g., Omens).
  • Maturity / "Real Cycle": Explored themes of love (e.g., Reason for Love, Long Regret).
  • Later Works (e.g., 1940s): Includes works like The Spectator.