Key Authors and Movements of 20th Century Spanish Literature

The Generation of '98: Key Figures

The Generation of '98 was a group of Spanish writers, essayists, and poets active during the time of the Spanish-American War (1898). They were characterized by their profound criticism of Spanish society and their search for the essence of Spain.

Pío Baroja

Pío Baroja (1872–1956), born in San Sebastián, studied medicine in Madrid, although he ultimately devoted himself to literature. He was one of the great novelists of his generation.

Antonio Machado

Antonio Machado (Seville, July 26, 1875 – Collioure, France, February 22, 1939) was a Spanish poet and a late member of the Generation of '98. His early work often aligns with the literary movement called Modernism. He remains one of the most representative figures of the Generation of '98.

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán (Vilanova de Arousa, October 28, 1866 – Santiago de Compostela, January 5, 1936) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist. He was initially part of the Modernism movement in Spain and, later, through his works, became associated with the soul of the Generation of '98. He is considered one of the key authors of 20th-century Spanish literature.

Novecentismo (Generation of '14)

In the second decade of the 20th century, a group of writers emerged characterized by intellectualism, their eagerness for Europe, and their search for a pure art—that is, an art free from links to reality and all forms of sentimentalism. This group was called the Generation of '14, and the current they promoted was called Novecentismo. The chief representative of Novecentista poetry is Juan Ramón Jiménez.

The Generation of '27

In the 1920s, a new group of writers emerged known as the Generation of '27. These authors, possessing a solid intellectual formation, admired the confluence of Juan Ramón Jiménez and the ideas of Ortega y Gasset. However, they were not content to imitate the model of pure and dehumanized art but incorporated new formal and thematic elements, fusing vanguard art and tradition in their works.

This generation includes:

• Federico García Lorca
• Rafael Alberti
• Luis Cernuda
• Pedro Salinas
• Jorge Guillén
• Dámaso Alonso
• Gerardo Diego
• Vicente Aleixandre

Vanguards in Spanish Literature

Vanguards are a set of movements that reject traditional art forms and advocate for experimentation, adopting new themes and new forms of expression.

Juan Ramón Jiménez: Nobel Laureate

Juan Ramón Jiménez Mantecón (Moguer, Huelva, December 23, 1881 – San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 29, 1958) was a Spanish poet, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1956. He received the award while in exile in his second home, Puerto Rico (where other renowned peninsular figures such as Pablo Casals and Francisco Ayala also lived in exile).