The Generation of '98 and Avant-Garde Literature

The Generation of '98

The term Generation of '98 was coined by Azorín to describe a group of writers who emerged around 1900. The year 1898 marked a national disaster for Spain: the loss of its final overseas colonies. Consequently, many intellectuals protested against the state of Spanish society and politics, expressing deep concern regarding the country's backwardness and a desire to redefine the Spanish identity.

Understanding the Spanish Identity

To understand the nation, these writers sought to connect with the peninsula through:

• Its people: Engaging with the local population.
• Its landscape: Appreciating the sober and austere scenery, particularly in Soria.
• Its history: Focusing on the daily lives of ordinary people.
• Its literature: Drawing inspiration from medieval works and authors like Manrique and Berceo.

Key Authors of the Generation

The writers of the '98 generation shared a common background and stylistic approach:

• Miguel de Unamuno
• José Martínez Ruiz (Azorín)
• Pío Baroja
• Ramiro de Maeztu
• Antonio Machado

Featured Profiles

Miguel de Unamuno

Biography: Born in Bilbao, he studied Philosophy and Letters in Madrid. He served as president of the University of Salamanca but was dismissed by Primo de Rivera. With the arrival of the Republic, he regained his position until his death.

Works:

• Novels: Martyr and Fog.
• Essays: The Tragic Sense of Life and The Agony of Christianity.

Antonio Machado

Biography: Born in Seville, he studied at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza in Madrid. He achieved a chair in French at the Institute of Soria, where he married Leonor, who passed away shortly after. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was forced to flee to France. He shared the '98ers' love for Castile and was known as an introspective, excellent teacher and poet.

Works: Solitudes, Fields of Castile, New Songs, and Apocryphal Songbook.

The Avant-Garde Movements

These movements aimed to break with traditional art forms and renew literature through innovative expression. The most significant aesthetic movements include:

• Futurism: Appeared in 1909, promoted by Marinetti. It exerted great influence on subsequent movements, asserting that art should reflect one's attitude toward life.
• Cubism: Originating in painting through artists like Braque and Pablo Picasso.
• Dadaism: Emerged in 1916, advocated by Tristan Tzara. It sought to destroy traditional aesthetic forms and reflect the absurdity of life.
• Surrealism: The most significant and enduring movement, appearing in 1924 under André Breton. Its objective was to free the writer from constraints, allowing for absolute freedom of expression.

Ramón Gómez de la Serna

His work represents a definitive break with previous literature and heralds new ways of understanding aesthetic creation.

• In 1910, he published the Futurist manifesto in the journal Prometheus.
• In his literary circle at the Café de Pombo (Madrid), he championed avant-garde art.
• He created his own unique style, associated with Cubism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, yet remained independent of any single movement.
• His signature creation is the greguería (a combination of metaphor and humor).