Hispanic American Modernism and the Evolution of Spanish Poetry

Hispanic American Modernism: Rubén Darío

Rubén Darío was the maximum exponent of Modernismo, a fusion of Parnassianism and poetic symbolism.

First Stage: Formative Period

Characterized by the use of synesthesia and an interest in Parnassian poetry, this stage incorporates mythological references.

Second Stage: The Influence of "Azul"

Beginning with his book Azul, Darío innovated with Alexandrine verses and dodecasyllables. He incorporated French syntax (hyperbaton), colorful adjectives, and sensual themes, including eroticism, dreams, nature, and exotic rhythms.

Third Stage: "Prosas Profanas"

This period explores a variety of stanzas, focusing on themes of sexual love, erotic pleasure, and passion.

Fourth Stage: "Cantos de Vida y Esperanza"

Personal crises influence his poetry, introducing existential and political issues. He expresses anxiety regarding the transience of life, the meaninglessness of death, and the outcome of the Cuban War.

Overcoming Modernism

Juan Ramón Jiménez

Jiménez falls within the timeframe of the Generation of '14, acting as a link between modernist poets and the Generation of '27.

1. Sensitive Stage

Focuses on themes of love and landscape. He meets Zenobia Camprubí, his lifelong partner. Estío closes his romantic modernist stage, followed by the poetic prose of Platero y yo.

2. Intellectual Stage

The poet abandons modernist rhetoric in favor of "pure poetry," seeking the essence of things. Estación Total reflects the serene contemplation and fullness the poet feels.

3. Sufficient or True Stage

During his American exile, he seeks absolute truth, focusing on the theme of God as "desired and desiring," while addressing nostalgia and the fear of death. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature and concluded his career with the publication of Tercera Antología Poética.

Miguel Hernández

Due to his unique style, Hernández is studied separately from the Generation of '36.

Youth and Learning Stage

Influenced by avant-garde poetry and the poets of the Generation of '27.

Creative Maturity

El rayo que no cesa is composed of sonnets highlighting three themes: life, death, and love. He uses intimate, simple language alongside complex metaphors and repetition.

Committed Poetry

Politically committed to the Republican cause, he expresses direct suffering and anguish. Cancionero y romancero de ausencias, written in prison, captures the pain of his son's death, loneliness, and nostalgia.