The Poetic Journey of Vicente Aleixandre

Prose Works

While less known, Vicente Aleixandre also has a prose production, as exciting as it is brief. Key works include A Life of the Poet (1950), Some Characters of the New Spanish Poetry (1955), and most notably, Encounters (1958), a collection of reminiscences of Spanish writers, which expanded to fifty-two portraits. A comprehensive collection, Complete Prose, including his correspondence, was published in 2002.

The Generation of '27

The Generation of '27 was a diverse group, often categorized in pairs or trios. Neopopularist poets like Rafael Alberti and Federico García Lorca drew inspiration from Gil Vicente, ballads, and traditional lyric. Gerardo Diego, after his creative phase, explored the poetry of Lope de Vega.

Poetic Works

Aleixandre's poetry spans several stages:

Pure Poetry

His first book, Field (1928), showcases a budding poet. Short, assonanced verses predominate, reflecting the aesthetics of Juan Ramón Jiménez and Jorge Guillén's pure poetry, with echoes of Ultraism and classical Spanish poetry, particularly Fray Luis de León and Góngora.

Surrealist Poetry

Between 1928 and 1932, a radical shift occurred. Inspired by Surrealist forerunners like Arthur Rimbaud and Lautreamont, and by Freud, Aleixandre adopted prose poems (Passion of the Earth, 1935) and free verse (Espadas como labios, 1932; The Destruction or Love, 1935; The Shade of Paradise, 1944). His work became irrational, bordering on automatic writing. He celebrated love as a natural force and critiqued societal conventions.

Anthropocentric Poetry

Post-war, his poetry shifted towards social concerns, addressing the common man's life with an accessible style. Key works include History of the Heart (1954) and A Vast Domain (1962).

Poetry of Old Age

His later works, Poems of Consummation (1968) and Dialogues of Knowledge (1974), mark another stylistic change. The experience of aging and approaching death led him back to an irrationality, purified and serene. The posthumously published The Big Night (1991) continues this metaphysical and reflective vein.