Key Periods of the Spanish Novel (1942–1980)

The Spanish Novel: Key Periods (1942–1980)

1. The Existentialist Novel (1942–1951)

Key Works

• The Family of Pascual Duarte (Camilo José Cela)
• Nada (Carmen Laforet)

Themes

Focuses on human status and problems as a reflection and product of socio-historical reality, specifically the existence of Spanish man "here and now."

• Uncertainty of human fate.
• The search for meaning and reason.

Characters and Environments

Characters often represent different social types: victims of violence, rebels, and outcasts. Environments are very broad, covering cities, small towns, the countryside, and villages. The narrative conveys a bitter reflection on the lack of hope and the sadness of everyday life, speaking of real social unrest.

Narrative Techniques

• Time: Characterized by linear narrative.
• Narrator: Third or first-person perspective.
• Style: Abundance of dialogues and monologues, allowing insight into the character's situation.
• Space: Dominated by space reduction and interior settings.

Authors

Miguel Delibes, Camilo José Cela, Carmen Laforet, and Gonzalo Torrente Ballester (e.g., The Joys and Shadows).

2. The Social Novel (1951–1962)

Key Works

• The Hive (Camilo José Cela)
• The Ferris Wheel (Juan Antonio de Zunzunegui)

Themes

The central focus is society, attempting to bear witness to injustice, social problems, and contribute to change. Key areas include:

1. The world of work.
2. The aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.
3. Emptiness, apathy, and lack of solidarity.

Characters and Environments

Characters are groups representing victims or rebels—social types that appear as a synthesis of a class or group, never receiving deep psychological treatment. The primary environment is the city.

Narrative Techniques

• Structure: Simple and linear.
• Focus: Narration takes precedence over description; objectivism based on documentation ensures realism.
• Style: Allows for the disappearance of the author and the predominance of dialogue.

Language

Direct and unartificial.

Authors

Ignacio Aldecoa (e.g., The Glare and Blood), Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio (e.g., The Jarama).

3. The Structural or Experimental Novel (1962–1980)

Key Works

• Quiet Time (Tiempo de silencio)

Themes

Broad and complex, involving a serious and lucid reflection on literature, culture, humanity, and society.

Features and Objectives

Characterized by the search for new modes of expression and form:

1. Formal Mastery: Emphasis on formal values, often prioritized over literary-political content.
2. Innovation: Focus on the formal and conceptual structure of the novel.
   • Purpose: To show commitment while rejecting personal confession (sometimes resulting in hopelessness).
   • Goal: To provide a "radiograph" of national life, exposing the rigidity of its structures.
3. Deconstruction: Reducing socially accepted attitudes and values to demonstrate their falsehood and destroy them.

Narrative Techniques

A. Narrative Perspective

• Narrator: Increased importance of the narrator, who often intervenes with comments or reviews.
• Point of View: Alternating perspectives (third-person omniscient, third-person limited, first-person, second-person).
• Style: Importance of free indirect style, monologue (interior), objectivism, and a variety of approaches.

B. Formal Structure

• Use of scripts or interrupted speech.
• Predominance of kaleidoscopic and counterpoint techniques.
• Time Structure: Dominated by chronological disorder and film editing techniques; often lacks a definitive end.

Form and Style

Absolute freedom leads to an extraordinary enrichment of the novel, resulting in a complex work.

Authors

Luis Martín Santos, Juan Benet, Juan Goytisolo, and Camilo José Cela (e.g., San Camilo, 1936).