Spanish Generation of '27 Poets and Literary Works

Characteristics of the Generation of '27

Authors: Federico García Lorca, Gerardo Diego, Miguel Hernández, Rafael Alberti, Vicente Aleixandre, and Pedro Salinas.

• Name: The name "Generation of '27" comes from the year 1927, which marked the 300th anniversary of Góngora's death.
• Characteristics: A search for balance between tradition and originality, and between popular and high culture (culto). There is a strong emphasis on creative freedom.

Federico García Lorca (1898–1936)

Born in Fuente Vaqueros (Granada), Lorca was assassinated in 1936. He led the theater group La Barraca. His work is divided into three stages:

1. Neopopulist Stage

• In Poetry: Focuses on Andalusian popular culture, mimicking the metrics and style of traditional songs and ballads. Works include Poema del cante jondo and Romancero Gitano.
• In Theater: Features a popular Andalusian atmosphere. Notable work: The Shoemaker's Prodigious Wife.

2. Surrealist Stage

• In Poetry: Poet in New York, where images contribute to expressing grief.
• In Theater: When Five Years Pass (Así que pasen cinco años).

3. Equilibrium Stage

A balance between tradition and modernism.

• In Poetry: Diván del Tamarit and Lament for the Death of Ignacio Sánchez Mejías. These utilize a traditional structure combined with visionary surrealism.
• In Theater: Great dramas with female protagonists who fail in their attempts to escape the oppressive environments surrounding them. Works include Yerma, The House of Bernarda Alba, and Blood Wedding.

Gerardo Diego

• He was the first to honor Góngora's anatomy.
• Works: His style combined the avant-garde with classicism, as seen in Alondra de verdad.
• He remained in Spain after the Civil War.

Miguel Hernández

Known as the "Pastor of Madrid," he published Perito en lunas and El rayo que no cesa. During the war, he fought as a soldier and wrote Vientos del pueblo. He died in prison from tuberculosis. His later poetry includes Cancionero y romancero de ausencias.

Rafael Alberti

Before the Civil War, he published Marinero en tierra and Sobre los ángeles. He lived in exile in Buenos Aires and Rome, expressing a longing for his distant homeland. Upon returning to Spain, he participated in cultural politics.

Vicente Aleixandre

• Career: His surrealist phase includes Pasión de la tierra. He later showed social concern in Historia del corazón.
• He received the Nobel Prize in 1977.
• He stayed in Spain during the dictatorship (internal exile).

Pedro Salinas

• Works: La voz a ti debida (pure poetry) and Razón de amor (love poetry).
• He lived in exile in the United States.

The Literary Scene and Context

• Generation of '14: Included José Ortega y Gasset, who provided a European vision and reflected on the reality of the Spanish wave.
• Avant-garde Movement: Conceived art as a game, guided by originality and creative freedom. Key figure: Ramón Gómez de la Serna, known for greguerías (humor + metaphors).
• Generation of '27: The core group of poets and dramatists.

Key Themes of the Generation of '27

• Love: A passionate vision highlighting the blend of pleasure and pain.
• Plenitude: Harmony with nature (notably in the work of Jorge Guillén).
• Rootlessness: Loneliness and a sense of not belonging (notably in the work of Luis Cernuda).
• Death: A theme not accepted with resignation by any member of the group.