Spanish Literary Movements and the Generation of '27

Novecento and the Spanish Vanguard

Novecento: This literary trend aims to restore the aesthetic value of the poem. It is typical of Spain around 1910 and came into focus before the Civil War. In poetry, figures like Juan Ramón Jiménez looked away from Modernism.

Vanguardism: This represents Modernism in Europe following the initial avant-garde period.

Key European Vanguard Movements

• Futurism: Advocates a complete break with previous culture, exalting modernity, mechanics, and technique (Marinetti).
• Cubism: Vindicates the autonomy of the artwork; the writer seeks to capture the simultaneity of reality. Notable calligrams break with the linearity of language (Apollinaire).
• Dada: Tries to demonstrate the absurdity of life (Tzara).
• Surrealism: Defends a total revolution of the human being, seeking transformation through imagination and poetry.

Specific Movements in Spain

In Spain, specific motions developed:

• Creationism: The poet breaks with existing reality and creates a new reality that makes sense by itself (Juan Larrea and Vicente Huidobro).
• Ultraism: Aims to provide a greater emphasis on image and metaphor, removing the narrative elements.

The Generation of '27

The Generation of '27 refers to a group of authors who mix avant-garde elements with features of traditional Spanish poetry.

Core Features and Stages

Features: Formal innovation (using religious vocabulary and slang), metrical renewal (utilizing the sonnet or romance), and varied subjects (love, death, and fate).

Stages:

• Vanguard: Influenced by the European avant-garde, these works tend toward the ideal of "pure poetry," trying to eliminate the human and sentimental elements that may appear in poems.
• Commitment: A focus on feelings and social engagement.
• Break: After the Civil War, the group separated.

Prominent Authors of the Generation

• Pedro Salinas: Known as the "poet of love," focusing on abstract poetry.
• Gerardo Diego: An eclectic poet whose work is a mix between tradition and renewal, balancing the vanguard with traditional forms.
• Rafael Alberti: A poet of variety who utilized traditional tones and surrealism; after the war, his work evolved into committed poetry.
• Luis Cernuda: Caught between reality and desire, his work unites loneliness and a longing for love while rejecting excessive musicality to focus on content.