Postwar Spanish Literature: Poetry, Theatre, and Novels

Poetry

Postwar (1940s)

Interruption of cultural life due to the Civil War. Poetry rooted in compliance with the regime: El Escorial, Luis Rosales, Leopoldo Panero, José García Nieto. Uprooted poetry reflecting the hopelessness of existence: Bulrush, José Hierro, Blas de Otero, Dámaso Alonso.

Social Poetry (1950s)

Shift from existentialist despair. Key authors include: Gabriel Celaya (three stages), and Blas de Otero (lawyer, professor).

Poetry of the 1950s Generation

Focus on refined language and poetic themes. Key authors include: Jaime Gil de Biedma (Traveling Companions), Antonio Gamoneda (Uprising Still).

Theatre

Postwar (1940s)

Conventional theatre: José María Pemán. Humoristic theatre, often absurd and witty: Enrique Jardiel Poncela (based on the fantastic and timeless) and Miguel Mihura (existential and social drama, nonconformist). Authors transmitting the unrest of humanity: Antonio Buero Vallejo (existentialist stage - Story of a Staircase; social stage - Today's a Holiday; formal renewal).

Experimentalist Theatre (1970s)

Emphasis on dramatic language based on spectacle, set design, and visual techniques. Key authors include: Antonio Martínez Ballesteros (audiovisual altarpieces), Fernando Arrabal (Panic Theatre, critical and rebellious attitude - Picnic).

Novel

Immediate Postwar (1940s)

Authors: Rafael García Serrano (The Infantryman and the Faithful), Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, Javier Mariño.

Existentialist Novel (1940s)

Expresses the character's struggle with destiny. Camilo José Cela (three stages: The Family of Pascual Duarte, realism in The Hive, experimentalism in Tenebrae). Miguel Delibes (focuses on marginalized rural life and criticizes the bourgeoisie). Gonzalo Torrente Ballester (three stages: Javier Mariño on the war, realism, and a trilogy with historical and structural renovation).

Social Realism Novel (1950s)

Presents objective critical testimony with a hidden narrator, focusing on character actions and dialogue. Key authors: Jesús Fernández Santos (The Brave) and Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio (El Jarama).

Narrative and Experimental Novel (1960s)

Narrative: Use of new narrative structures (interior monologues, parallel actions, temporal disorder). Luis Martín-Santos (Time of Silence), Juan Marsé (Last Evenings with Teresa). Experimental: Accumulation of narrative techniques, sometimes incompatible, challenging the reader (mandarin school).