Mariano José de Larra & Spanish Romantic Drama: Key Aspects

Mariano José de Larra (1809-1837)

Mariano José de Larra (1809-1837) lived in exile and possessed a strong, cosmopolitan background. He aimed to improve the country, advocating and disseminating his views through his journalistic articles. Larra's journalistic prose style is straightforward, employing irony, simple vocabulary, and a bitter, pessimistic tone.

Romantic Theater

Romantic theater authors drew inspiration from 17th-century Spanish theater. Key formal features include the use of verse, the replacement of acts with days, and the rejection of the three unities. Thematic aspects often revolved around medieval origins and concepts of honor.

Romantic Heroism

The hero and heroine of romantic drama become symbols of freedom, defying social norms and fighting for love, even when their fate is adverse. Examples include: The Conspiracy of Venice by Francisco Martinez de la Rosa; The Troubadour by Antonio Garcia Gutierrez; and Don Alvaro or the Force of Fate by the Duke of Rivas.

Characteristics of Romantic Drama

The most important trait of romantic drama is the mix of tragedy and comedy. Constantly changing scenarios provide the drama with great dynamism. Filled with exaggerated expressions and gestures, it is often considered an unlikely theater.

The Duke of Rivas

Angel de Saavedra, the Duke of Rivas, suffered political exile. Upon returning to Spain, he incorporated historical and folkloric descriptions into his work, along with situations caused by mysterious fate.

Don Alvaro or the Force of Fate

His most famous drama is Don Alvaro or the Force of Fate, written in prose and verse, concentrating all formal and thematic ingredients of romantic drama.

Realism and Naturalism

Realism

Realism was an artistic movement of the second half of the 19th century. Its main feature was its opposition to subjective issues and romantic arguments. Realistic works focused on everyday life and social, cultural, political, and economic aspects, including industrialization and scientific and technological advancements.

Naturalism

Naturalistic works considered human typologies and their actions as a result of heredity or environmental influences. Writers mimicked the activity of scientists, observing and analyzing society to draw conclusions from the data obtained. Total objectivity was not achieved; conservative, religious, and other junctions denounced the narrative genre. The narrative genre experienced more development, and the best writers expressed naturalistic views. Realistic and lyrical drama did not experience the renewal process and retained some romantic features.