The Spanish Generation of '27: Key Poets and Themes

The Generation of '27

The birth of these poets on nearby dates, their companionship and professed friendship, and the influence and cultural exchanges among them, particularly influenced by Damaso Alonso, led to the expression of the Generation of '27. The date refers to the commemoration of the third anniversary of the death of Góngora and a ceremony in Seville. Important journals published significant books. Among the leading poets of the group are Pedro Salinas, Jorge Guillén, García Lorca, Alberti, and Cernuda.

1.1. Vanguardism

Between the two world wars in Europe, avant-garde movements emerged. The most important current was Surrealism. Surrealism delves beyond reality and logic, aiming to release repressed impulses and express the depths of the human unconscious. In poetry, surrealist writers might use the technique of automatic writing (transcribing what the mind suggests without, in theory, mediating logical reason). Surrealism seeks to achieve a true free expression of language, leading to unusual and irrational images through lexical associations. In Castilian, two avant-garde trends were important: Ultraism and Creationism.

1.2. Teachers

Among the young poets of the Generation of '27, two figures stand out in contemporary culture:

• Juan Ramón Jiménez: He was a true literary guide, initiating many of them through a magazine and his critical comments. His poetry was a clear, pure poetic reference in Spain.
• Ortega y Gasset: His influence was ideological and theoretical.

1.3. Themes and Styles of the Generation of '27

The major themes of man—love, the universe, fate, and death—populate the works of the '27 poets. Thematic motives are related to technical developments, urban development, and freedom. "The city appears linked to a futuristic vision, imbued with optimism, both positive or negative." Love is presented as the fulfillment of the individual and support for all possible manifestations, with a sense of freedom and sometimes pain.

• Arts: Influenced by literary avant-garde, art became a topic of poetic creation.
• Nature: Sometimes conceived as an environment, other times as a personal space.

The poets of the '27 cultivated the image and visionary imagery that relates objects through the emotions they arouse. They also combined traditional metric forms with free verse.

Stages of the Generation of '27

• First stage: Until 1929. At this stage of youth, it coincided with the splendor of the avant-garde and tradition. Ultraism represented pure poetry.
• Second stage: (1929-1936). Underwent profound personal crises and found a way to express conflicts through Surrealism. The new songs represented a poetic process of rehumanization.
• Third stage: The Generation of '27 as a group fell apart dramatically.