Literary Movements: Renaissance to Naturalism in European and Catalan Context

The Renaissance in Catalan Literature

The Renaissance saw a revival of literary activity, particularly in Catalonia:

• Antoni Bofarull made a distinct choice of poems that had been published in newspapers and compiled them in a collection named The Troubadours.
• Víctor Balaguer published another anthology, which was a compilation named Los Modern Troubadours.

The Floral Games (Jocs Florals)

The contest was intended to imitate previous competitions. Participants had to compete; the requirement was that the works should be in Catalan, and if they were well done, many would vote for them.

The motto is: Patria, Fides, Amor (Homeland, Faith, Love).

Prizes awarded:

• If one won the best song in the nation, they received the best trophy, L'Englantina (The Eglantine).
• If one won the prize for the best work on faith, they received the Viola.
• If one won the prize for the best love song, they received the Viola and could choose a flower of love (flor d'amor) for the Queen of the Party.

A poet who won all three awards was granted the degree of Mestre en Gai Saber (Master in Gay Science/Poetry).

The Phase of Strong Prestige

During this phase, authors gained significant recognition:

• Jacint Verdaguer received the highest award for the best epic poetry (L'Atlàntida).
• Àngel Guimerà also received many literary prizes.

Publications included information on literary events and involved contributing authors and patrons.

Romanticism: Characteristics and Figures

Romanticism was a literary current that appeared primarily in England and Germany. It had the following characteristics:

• Rejection of Neoclassicism.
• Defense of freedom and emotion.
• Incorporation of mixed genres.
• Rejection of predominant reason.
• Exaltation of nationalistic sentiment.
• Emphasis on adventure and the presence of the self.
• The birth and development of national languages.

Conservative Romanticism

• In Fiction: Sir Walter Scott
  • Works: Ivanhoe, Quentin Durward, The Antiquary.

Liberal Romanticism

• In Poetry: Lord Byron.
• In Fiction: Victor Hugo
  • Works: Les Misérables, Notre-Dame de Paris, The Legend of the Centuries.

Realism and Naturalism

Realism

• Honoré de Balzac: Organized his novels into "The Human Comedy," which portrayed various aspects of the world.
• Henri Stendhal: Wrote novels in which women held importance in recreating the era they lived in, such as The Mirror and The Red and the Black.
• Gustave Flaubert: His work marked the closing period of Realism and the opening of Naturalism with the noteworthy contemporary novel Madame Bovary and the historical novel Salammbô.

Naturalism

• Émile Zola: Advocated that the naturalist novel should use the experimental method and that the behavior of characters depends on their environment and heredity.
  • Works: L'Assommoir, Germinal.
• Goncourt Brothers: Were followers of Émile Zola.

Realist, Historical, and Naturalist Novels in Catalonia

Historical Novel

• Ramon López-Soler: Influenced by Walter Scott.
  • Works: The Communities of Castile and the Knights of the Swan, The Cathedral of Seville.
• Antoni Bofarull:
  • Works: The Good Orphanage of Menargues or Dying.

Realistic Novel

• Martí-Genís Aguilar: Wrote the romantic-realist novel The Juliet and the realistic novel of manners Pipí Cadi.
• Maria Vayreda:
  • Works: Records of the Last Carlinada, The Stab.

Naturalistic Novel

• Narcís Oller:
  • Realist novel: Elisabeth Galceran.
  • Naturalistic novel: The Butterfly.
  • Psychological novel: Pilar Prim.