Modernism and Generation of '98: Key Authors and Themes

Modernism

Beginning in the late 19th century in Hispanic America, with creators like José Martí and Rubén Darío. It began with the publication of Azul by Ruben Dario. Key features include:

• A focus on aesthetic literature, seeking beauty.
• A search for escape from reality, often through remote settings.
• Themes expressing feelings like weariness (existential anxiety), apathy (living without desire), and melancholy (sadness).
• Use of symbolic elements, such as the swan as a symbol of modern beauty.

Generation of '98

A group of authors born between 1864 and 1875, with two main themes: a decadent Spain and existential angst. Prominent authors include: Miguel de Unamuno, Pío Baroja, Azorín, Ramón Valle-Inclán, and Ramiro de Maeztu. Their thoughts were rooted in existentialism and irrationalism. These authors often described the Castilian landscape.

Rubén Darío

Nicaraguan poet (1867-1916), considered the foremost representative of Modernism. His principal works include:

• Azul (1888) and Prosas Profanas (1896): Characterized by exotic imagery and brilliant musicality and metrics.
• Cantos de vida y esperanza (1905): Intimate and reflective poetry, with the main topic being the meaning of life.

Prose

Modernist prose is known for its beauty and use of poetic and musical language. A key author is Ramón Valle-Inclán. The authors of the Generation of '98 cultivated the essay and the novel. In their essays, they addressed two main issues: the decline of Spain and existential angst. Miguel de Unamuno is a prominent essayist.

Azorín

Azorín (1873-1967) published articles, reviews, essays, and novels (notably Doña Inés). Azorín's texts often feature minimal plot, with a focus on descriptions of environments and feelings.

Theater

Its greatest representative was Jacinto Benavente, who promoted realistic comedy with critical intent, as seen in The Bonds of Interest. Ramón Valle-Inclán also contributed to its renewal, inventing the technique of the esperpento.

Pío Baroja

Pío Baroja (1872-1956) was born in San Sebastián and studied medicine in Madrid, but dedicated himself to literature and journalism. He entered the Royal Spanish Academy and lived in France during the Civil War.

Baroja emphasized the importance of the plot (action). His characters were portrayed schematically and directly.

Among his works are adventure novels, such as Zalacaín the Adventurer and Shanti Andía. He also wrote three trilogies: The Struggle for Life, The Basque Country, and Race (which includes The Tree of Science, whose hero, Andrés Hurtado, represents the life of Pío Baroja).