Juan Ramón Jiménez: The Quest for Pure Poetry

Juan Ramón Jiménez: Pure Poetry and Noucentisme

Juan Ramón Jiménez, a key poet of Noucentisme, sought what he called "pure poetry," moving beyond mere sentimentality.

Poetic Style and Influences

Although chronologically associated with the Generation of '14 (or Noucentisme), Jiménez's work connects significantly with both Modernism and later avant-garde movements. He initially embraced Modernism and became influential for many avant-garde authors.

His aim was to reach truth and, through it, eternity. For him, accuracy is beauty. Poetry serves as a source of knowledge, a way to grasp the essence of things.

Evolution and Key Works

Juan Ramón Jiménez developed a precise and accurate poetic style. His poetry evolved through distinct stages. A significant shift occurred around 1916, marking the end of his first major period and the beginning of the second. This transition is exemplified by his work Diario de un poeta recién casado (Diary of a Newlywed Poet), written during his honeymoon in the U.S.

Common themes include love and the reality of things. Another notable success was Poemas májicos y dolientes (Magic and Sorrowful Poems), a unique collection highlighting Jiménez's distinctive writing style, including his characteristic use of 'j' instead of 'g' before 'e' and 'i'.

His hometown, Moguer, was a constant source of inspiration and reference throughout his work.

Poetic Trajectory: The Sensitive Stage (1898-1915)

This stage is divided into two sub-stages:

First Sub-stage (until 1908)

This initial period shows the influence of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Symbolism, and early Modernism. Characteristics include:

• Subtle forms, rhyme, and assonance
• Shorter verse lines (arte menor)
• Intimate musicality
• Landscape descriptions reflecting the poet's soul – often static, ordered, like an indoor garden, rather than the dynamic nature found in Machado.
• Predominance of vague feelings, melancholy, faded colors, memories, and dreams of love.

It's an emotional, sentimental poetry where sensibility is expressed through perfected formal structures. Key works from this period include:

• Rimas (1902)
• Arias tristes (1903)
• Jardines lejanos (1904)
• Elegías (1907)

Second Sub-stage (1908-1915/16)

This period shifts towards longer verse forms (arte mayor), such as hendecasyllables and alexandrines, and classical structures like sonnets and serventesios. The influence of French Symbolism (Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine) and Anglo-French Decadence (Walter Pater) becomes more pronounced.

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