Modernism in Spanish Literature: Key Characteristics

The Essence of Modernism in Literature

Modernism is a literary school characterized by linguistic renewal and spiritual themes. Machado and Jiménez sought a new meaning to life, and their work reflects this notable concern.

In Spanish-language literature, the term Modernism refers to a literary movement that developed between the years 1880 and 1910, mainly in the field of poetry. It was characterized by an ambiguous creative rebellion, narcissistic and aristocratic refinement, cosmopolitan culturalism, and a deep aesthetic renovation of language and meter.

Key Characteristics of the Movement

• The rejection of everyday reality: The writer escapes through time (reminiscent of past and better times) or space (many poems take place in exotic and distant locations).
• An aristocratic attitude: A certain preciousness in style and the search for formal perfection (of Parnassian inspiration) appreciated through individualism.
• The pursuit of beauty: Achieved through visual imagery and an approach to the arts, featuring predominant color adjectives and images relating to all the senses, as well as music produced by alliteration, marked rhythms, and the use of synesthesia (influenced by Symbolism).
• Metric variations: Allegiance to both great classical stanzas and medieval verses like the Alexandrine, the dodecasyllabic, and the eneasílabo, with contributions of new variants to the sonnet.
• Mythology and sensationalism: The frequent use of these elements in writing.
• Lexical renewal: The use of Hellenisms, erudite words, and Gallicisms, seeking prestige or rarity rather than mere accuracy.
• Innovative desire: Aspiring to the perfection appreciated in European literature.
• Metric adaptation: The adaptation of Castilian metrics to Latin forms.
• Formal perfection: The cult of calm and balanced poetry.

Primary Topics of Modernist Works

• Romantic malaise: The boredom of life and a deep sadness, accompanied by anxiety.
• Loneliness: The search for solitude and the rejection of society.
• Escapism: The evasion of reality through time and space.
• Love and eroticism: Idealization of love and women. The theme of impossible love is presented with differences from the Romantic ideal, showing a contrast between gentle love and intense eroticism.
• Cosmopolitanism: Shows the desire for the different and the aristocratic; Modernists showed great devotion to Paris.
• American themes: Including indigenous issues, often with a defense of the Indian.
• The Hispanic identity: A valuable historical background which gives harmony to a disharmonious world.