Literary Movements in Catalan and Spanish Poetry History

Sixteenth Century Renaissance Poetry

The poetry of the 16th-century Renaissance began to express new sentiments. The focus shifted towards humanism (the 'man center'). Castilianization was increasingly evident, appreciating a degree of influence, as seen in figures like Joan Boscà. Sentiments related to commerce and the Americas also began to appear.

Catalan Poetic Influences and Innovations

• Ausiàs Marc's Influence: Catalan poetry, influenced by Ausiàs Marc, attempted to introduce metrical innovations derived from Italy, such as the decasíl·lab (decasyllable), while maintaining a traditional air.
• Poets of Mixed Tradition: Poets like Pere Serafí and Joan Boscà mixed Catalan and Spanish elements.

Pere Serafí (PS)

His work includes “Two Books”, a compilation of 170 pages. His style followed the Ausiàs Marquiana tradition, influenced by popular poetry, and incorporated elements of Petrarchan poetry.

Joan Boscà (JB)

Boscà followed the Marc tradition but took a more conservative approach, aligning with the Counter-Reformation, where the Church sought to recover its moral authority.

The Poetry of the Baroque Period

The Baroque style prevailed, characterized by the imitation of Castilian poetic models, especially those of Luis de Góngora. This imitation affected the metric aspect, the rhetorical side, and linguistic expression.

Francesc Vicent Garcia: Catalan Baroque Exponent

Francesc Vicent Garcia, known as the Rector of Vallfogona, was the primary exponent of Catalan Baroque poetry. His works were often humorous and eschatological. His poetry incorporated Spanish metrics, resulting in an artificial and elegant style.

Recovery of Catalan Poetry: The Renaixença

The recovery of Catalan poetry coincided with the European Romantic period. The Renaixença began in Catalonia in 1833 with the publication of the ode “La Pàtria” (The Homeland) in the Romantic magazine “El Vapor”.

Bonaventura Carles Aribau

Aribau, a writer, economist, and politician who lived in Madrid and held positions of responsibility, wrote this foundational poem, which conveyed the spirit of Catalan culture.

Joaquim Rubió i Ors

Eight years later, Joaquim Rubió i Ors published “Poetry” under the pseudonym Lo Gaiter del Llobregat (The Piper of Llobregat). In the prologue of this work, he called for the restoration of the Jocs Florals (Floral Games) and the recovery of a serious, independent Catalan literature.

Restoration of the Jocs Florals (1859)

The annual poetry contest was formally restored in Barcelona in 1859, imitating the medieval tradition of Toulouse. There were three main awards:

1. The Englantina (Eglantine Rose) for patriotic themes.
2. The Viola (Violet) for religious or sacred love.
3. The Flor Natural (Natural Flower) for profane love.

A poet who won all three awards was designated Mestre en Gai Saber (Master of Gay Science).

Consolidation of the Renaixença

Towards the end of the 1850s, two poetry anthologies marked the consolidation of the Renaixença:

• Los Nuevos Trovadores (The New Troubadours): Compiled by Antoni Bofarull, based primarily on linguistic criteria.
• Los Modernos Trovadores (The Modern Troubadours): Compiled by Víctor Balaguer, an attempt to integrate progressive and Republican authors into the Renaixença movement.

Jacint Verdaguer

Jacint Verdaguer came from a peasant family. He was deeply familiar with the vernacular language and studied classical literature and rhetoric. He spent several years striving to win a prize at the Jocs Florals. He became a vicar and priest, later serving the Marquis of Comillas in Barcelona. Verdaguer was a vocational poet who cultivated both epic and lyric forms.