Modernism and Literary Trends: From Rubén Darío to Existentialism
Rubén Darío: Stages of Poetic Evolution
- Stage 1: Imitation of the Spanish Romantics, seeking to renew lyrical metrics in the Spanish language.
- Stage 2: Publication of a disruptive and far-reaching book in Chile, marking the birth of Modernism.
- Stage 3 (1896): Profane Prose (Prosas profanas). Focuses on musical and rhythmic verses with varied stanzas, extolling cosmopolitanism, Hispanic-American poetic tradition, and the theme of love.
- Stage 4: Songs of Life and Hope (Cantos de vida y esperanza) and The Swans and Other Poems. Considered his finest poetry, alongside notable articles, chronicles, biographical sketches, and political commentary.
Manuel Machado: Poetic and Pictorial Art
Known for poems such as "Cante hondo" and "La Lola se va a los puertos," his work features descriptive and pictorial language. Notable works include:
- Alma
- Cante hondo
- El mal poema
- Ars moriendi (1936)
Characteristics of Modernist Literature
- Break with Realism: A rejection of realistic and naturalistic narratives, reflecting a crisis of faith in rationalism and a pessimistic attitude.
- Existential Angst: The absence of solid foundations produces existential angst against a hostile backdrop.
- Art as Refuge: Art is regarded as a spiritual sanctuary to escape a prosaic and ugly reality.
- Impressionistic Aesthetic: Authors prioritize impressionism over realistic reflection, leading to more meditative literature where the plot loses interest.
Philosophical Currents
- Marxism: Karl Marx’s vision of a new society without exploiters or the exploited.
- Irrationalism: Arthur Schopenhauer’s concept of a universe governed by blind, irrational forces, viewing life as pain and denying moral progress.
- Vitalism: Friedrich Nietzsche’s model of the "Superman," a synthesis of selfishness, cruelty, and arrogance.
- Existentialism: Søren Kierkegaard’s priority of existence over essence, focusing on the vital and concrete over the abstract.
- Ratio-vitalism: Edmund Husserl’s philosophical movement emphasizing the circumstantial and the interaction between reason and life.
- Psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud’s theories, which supported movements like Surrealism.