Literary Modernism: Rubén Darío and Spanish Masters

Literary Modernism: Rubén Darío

Rubén Darío is considered the originator of literary modernism, a movement that spread throughout America, Europe, and Spain. Rubén Darío's literature pursued formal novelty through an aesthetic break with previous approaches. It reflects the influence of symbolism, as well as his faith in the superiority of poets, whom he regarded as connected with divine beings and the forces of nature, capable of interpreting the world through the word.

Key Works by Rubén Darío

• Azul... (Blue): This was the first book published in 1888, combining verse and prose, including short stories and poems. It recreates a world of fairies and princesses.
• Prosas Profanas (Profane Prose): Published in 1896, it is noted for its innovations in verse and metric. It incorporates exotic, aristocratic poems; its themes are social and Spanish, with eroticism being central.
• Cantos de vida y esperanza (Songs of Life and Hope): Published in 1905, this work marked a change in Darío's literary approach. It employed more personal, intimate, and reflective themes, including philosophical concerns, the loss of youth, the meaning of existence, and the Hispanic world.

Other Intellectual Protagonists

Miguel de Unamuno

A man of complex and contradictory personality, Unamuno was one of the protagonists of the intellectual life of the early twentieth century. His production includes essays, novels, poetry, and dramatic works—genres he valued for reflecting his philosophical ideas. In his earlier works, he critically assessed the situation in Spain and proposed taking Europe as a model. He later turned toward intimate concerns, such as the sense of life and religious faith.

Unamuno's Genres

• Essays: Express his ideas about Spain and shift his philosophical reflections (e.g., The Tragic Sense of Life in the Peoples and Men, The Agony of Christianity).
• Novels (Nivolas): The protagonists embody the author's commentary, the action is sparse, and dialogues and monologues dominate. He termed his novels Nivolas.

Pío Baroja

Pío Baroja was a great novelist. His stories are charged with the strength of characters who seem real. His novels incorporate philosophical concerns that reflect his idea of the hostile world surrounding his subjects and include social criticism. His work is noted for the vividness and naturalness of dialogue (e.g., In Search of Lost Time).

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán

Valle-Inclán was a poet, novelist, and excellent playwright. He was initiated in modernism and created the Esperpento, which consists of tackling serious issues from a burlesque perspective, combining the seriousness of the issues with laughter. In these works, he denounced the distorted social and political reality of Spain.