Spanish Accentuation Nuances and Literary Movements 1880-1914

Spanish Word Distinctions (Tilde Diacrítica)

Understanding accent marks (tildes) is crucial for distinguishing words in Spanish:

• él (pron. personal: he) vs. el (artículo: the)
• tú (pron. personal: you) vs. tu (adjetivo posesivo: your)
• mí (pron. personal: me) vs. mi (adjetivo posesivo: my)
• te (pron. personal: you) vs. té (sustantivo: tea)
• más (adv./sustantivo: more) vs. mas (conjunción adversativa: but)
• sí (adv. afirmación/pron.: yes, oneself) vs. si (conjunción/nota musical: if, B)
• sé (verbo saber/ser: I know / be) vs. se (pron.: oneself, himself, etc.)
• o (conjunción: or) - Note: The accent on 'ó' between numbers is no longer used by the RAE.
• dé (verbo dar: give) vs. de (preposición: of, from)
• Interrogative/Exclamative vs. Relative/Conjunction: Words like qué, quién, cuál, cómo, dónde, cuándo, cuánto, adónde carry an accent when used in questions or exclamations, distinguishing them from their unaccented forms (que, quien, cual, como, donde, cuando, cuanto, adonde).
• aún (adv.: still, yet) vs. aun (adv.: even, also)
• Demonstratives: este, ese, aquel (and their feminine/plural forms) can function as adjectives (e.g., Me gusta este trabajo - I like this job) or pronouns (e.g., Mi coche es este - My car is this one). Note: The RAE currently recommends against using accent marks on demonstrative pronouns (éste, ése, aquél), although it was common practice previously.
• solo (adjetivo: alone) vs. solo (adverbio: only). Note: The RAE currently recommends against using the accent mark on the adverb (sólo), although it was standard practice previously.
• porqué (sustantivo: reason, often preceded by 'el') vs. porque (conjunción causal: because) vs. por qué (prep. + pron. interrogativo: why?) vs. por que (prep. + pron. relativo: for which).

Context: Spain in the First Half of the 20th Century

1. A century of profound political, ideological, and social changes.
2. Society significantly impacted by war zones and conflict.
3. Spain transitioned from a parliamentary monarchy to the Second Republic, endured a Civil War, and lived under the Franco dictatorship.

Spanish Poetry Movements

Modernism (approx. 1880-1914)

Key figures: Rubén Darío, Manuel Machado. Juan Ramón Jiménez (J.R. Jiménez) initially participated but evolved.

Characteristics:

• An attempt at profound change, sometimes seen as struggling against bourgeois values.
• Tendency towards escapism and avoidance of societal problems.
• Emphasis on aesthetic form, though content gained importance later for some.
• Often targeted a minority audience.
• Themes of idealization and sensuality.
• Influences: French Parnassianism and Symbolism (France, 1860-1880), Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Romanticism, German philosophy.

Symbolism

A foundational movement for modern art. Key figures: Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, Stéphane Mallarmé.

• Employs metaphor that breaks logical connections.
• Uses words to evoke images and sensations.
• Ideas are expressed through symbols, whose interpretation can be subjective and open-ended for the reader.

Parnassianism

A movement seeking:

• Objective beauty and formal perfection.
• Depiction of perfect, often exotic, landscapes.
• Emphasis on rhythm and musicality in verse.
• Considered art as paramount "art for art's sak").

Tendencies within Modernism

Esteticista (Aestheticism)

• Belief that beauty is not necessarily useful; art for art's sake.
• Flees from mundane reality.

Bohemia

• Radical confrontation with established society; marginalization.
• Figures like Alejandro Sawa, Emilio Carrere.
• Often associated with escapism into worlds of alcohol or crime, frequently ending in failure.

Intimista (Intimism)

• Inward-looking, influenced by Bécquer.
• Use of symbols, melancholy tone.
• Attraction to decadent themes, exploration of feelings.
• Figures like Antonio Machado, Juan Ramón Jiménez.

Generation of '98

A group contemporary to Modernism, often overlapping but with distinct concerns.

• Focuses outward, offering a critical vision of Spain's socio-political reality (the"Problem of Spai").
• Content is often considered more important than form.
• Aimed for a broader impact or audience compared to aestheticist Modernism.
• Shared with Modernists: A spirit of rebellion, existential unease (malestar), and the search for a renewed literary language.