Spanish Novel's Evolution: Modernism, '98, and Avant-Garde Literary Movements

In the first decades of the 20th century, a new narrative emerged in Spanish literature, influenced by modern trends and the Generation of '98. This period was characterized by a firm rejection of the 19th-century realist novel.

Modernism and the Generation of '98

Modernism reflected a cult of the sensory and plastic images, emphasizing linguistic and sensual musicality. The Generation of '98, on the other hand, adopted a regenerationist attitude towards Spain's problems, its history, and the national question.

Miguel de Unamuno: The Intellectual and Existential Novel

Miguel de Unamuno stands out in this era for his intellectual and existential novels. His works reflected his philosophical vision of the world. He famously coined the term "Nivola" to signify his intention to renew language, form, and narrative techniques. His most outstanding works include Niebla, San Manuel Bueno, mártir, and La tía Tula.

Pío Baroja: Critique of Society and the Cult of Action

Pío Baroja was another prominent author of his time. In his works, he criticized corrupt society in general. Baroja created diffuse environments and barely delved into the psychology of his characters. His narratives are characterized by a cult of action, descriptive impressionism (describing an entire landscape or person with a few strokes), and digressions expressing philosophical thought. His notable novels include Zalacaín el aventurero and El árbol de la ciencia.

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán: Renovation and Esperpento

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán was another key representative of both the Modernist novel and the Generation of '98. Always mindful of renovation, he was guided by a particular concept of freedom.

• Within the Modernist tendency, Valle-Inclán's Sonatas are notable: Sonata de otoño, Sonata de estío, Sonata de primavera, and Sonata de invierno.
• In his second phase, aligned with the Generation of '98, he employed the esperpento—a grotesque, alternately comic and macabre satirical criticism. Key works in this style include Tirano Banderas, which criticized the dictator Primo de Rivera, and Luces de bohemia, a profound critique of Spanish society.

Noucentisme and the Avant-Garde

After the Generation of '98 novel, Noucentisme emerged around 1914, continuing the Modernist trend. Notable authors include Gabriel Miró with Nuestro Padre San Daniel and Ramón Pérez de Ayala with Troteras y danzaderas.

In the 1920s, some authors joined the avant-garde movement as a form of novelistic renovation. This group included Ramón Gómez de la Serna with ¡Rebeca!.

The Generation of '27: Experimentation and Social Realism

Finally, the authors of the Generation of '27 approached the novel from two main lines:

• The avant-garde line aimed to continue the renovation introduced by Gómez de la Serna through experimentation. This approach is exemplified by Rosa Chacel's Estación, ida y vuelta and Francisco Ayala's El boxeador y un ángel.
• The line of social realism, with the denunciation of social problems as its main theme, is highlighted by Ramón J. Sender's Imán and Réquiem por un campesino español.