Key Movements and Authors in Early 20th Century Spanish Literature

Modernism in the Early 20th Century

In the late 19th century, a renewed interest in early Romanticism's emphasis on originality and creative freedom emerged. This period, marked by a crisis in Western culture, led to a significant shift in artistic direction. The literary movement that defined this era is known as Modernism. Modernism drew inspiration from two 19th-century movements: Parnassianism and Symbolism. The core themes of Modernism include loneliness, escapism, cosmopolitanism, love, and eroticism.

Ruben Dario and Manuel Machado are the primary representatives of Parnassian Modernism. Dario, a Nicaraguan poet, transitioned from the aesthetic Parnassianism evident in Azul and Prosas Profanas to more profound and far-reaching themes in Cantos de Vida y Esperanza.

Antonio Machado

Antonio Machado stands out as the leading Symbolist poet of Modernism. His debut book, Soledades, Galerias y Otros Poemas, delves into the passage of time and death, two recurring themes in the Sevillian poet's work. In his second work, Campos de Castilla, he expands on these themes, incorporating the subject of Spain and a series of poems dedicated to his wife, Leonor, both before and after her untimely death.

Juan Ramon Jimenez

Juan Ramon Jimenez initially embraced Modernist aesthetics but gradually developed a unique and essential style throughout his life. He viewed writing as a continuous pursuit of beauty and perfection. Diario de un Poeta Recien Casado and Dios Deseado y Deseante are among his most notable works.

Avant-Garde and the Generation of '27

From the beginning of the 20th century, avant-garde movements began to revolutionize the Western art scene. Futurism, Cubism, Expressionism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, along with the Hispanic movements of Ultraism and Creationism, introduced transgressive and groundbreaking forms. The Generation of '27 emerged from a synthesis of avant-garde innovation and a deep appreciation for tradition.

This poetic group comprised Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillen, Gerardo Diego, Damaso Alonso, Vicente Aleixandre, Federico Garcia Lorca, Luis Cernuda, Rafael Alberti, Emilio Prados, and Manuel Altolaguirre. The poets of the Generation of '27 regarded poetry as an art capable of interpreting and renewing reality, always striving for conceptual and formal perfection.

Following Lorca's death in 1936, the group dispersed. Most members went into exile due to political reasons. Gerardo Diego, Damaso Alonso, and Vicente Aleixandre remained in Spain.

Vicente Aleixandre

Born in Seville and raised in Malaga, Vicente Aleixandre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1977. His themes are diverse. His work can be divided into two phases: an initial Surrealist phase, marked by books like Espadas como Labios, La Destruccion o el Amor, and Sombra del Paraiso; and a second phase, characterized by a departure from Surrealism and a focus on humanity. This stage includes the books Historia del Corazon and Poemas de la Consumacion.

Federico Garcia Lorca

Federico Garcia Lorca's early works blend traditional elements with avant-garde and pure poetry. Notable examples include Poema del Cante Jondo and Romancero Gitano. Later, he fully embraced Surrealism in Poeta en Nueva York.