Spanish Enlightenment and 18th Century Neoclassicism

The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason

The Enlightenment in the eighteenth century brought a deep renewal of ideas that affected society, politics, religion, and thought. This movement aimed to achieve social welfare through reason, education, and the advancement of science. Thinkers known as ilustrados sought to prioritize reason over faith to combat ignorance, bigotry, and superstition.

These ideas spread from England to France starting in 1700. In Spain, their dissemination was most significant during the second half of the 18th century. In literature, Neoclassicism emerged as authors sought a new aesthetic model based on classical principles, aiming to "teach by delighting."

Lyric Poetry and the Didactic Fable

Neoclassical lyric poetry served a didactic purpose, addressing civic themes such as the praise of progress. A notable example is the Ode to the Invention of Printing by José Quintana. This educational focus justified the popularity of the fable: verse narratives featuring animals that deliver a moral lesson.

During the latter half of the century, other poetic tendencies coexisted with Neoclassicism:

• Rococo: Poetry that imitates the classics with mythological and pastoral themes.
• Pre-romanticism: Poetry that began to prioritize personal feelings, foreshadowing the 19th-century movement.

Neoclassical Theater and Social Critique

Neoclassical theater focused on Enlightenment ideology to provide useful education to a wide audience. It broke away from the Baroque style of Lope de Vega, adhering strictly to the classical rules of action, place, and time, while separating comedy from tragedy.

Leandro Fernández de Moratín achieved great success with comedies that critically portrayed contemporary life. His primary theme was the marriage of convenience, where economic status dictated family preferences over personal choice. His works, such as El viejo y la niña and El sí de las niñas, reflect these social issues.

Didactic Prose and the Rise of the Essay

Didactic prose was essential for transmitting Enlightenment ideas. This included travel books, epistolary works, reports, and especially the essay. Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, a prominent politician and writer, authored the Report on the Agrarian Law, which analyzed the economic and social problems of Spain.