Spanish Literary Movements: Modernism and Generation of '98

The Debate

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Modernism

A literary movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the era's crisis. Characteristics:

• Profound spiritual and aesthetic renewal
• Emphasis on sensory and idealistic aspects
• Incorporation of sensation
• Recovery of classical and free verse

Rubén Darío

A key figure in Modernism, known for formal novelty and rupture. His first book, Azul, combined verse and prose, showcasing metric and verbal innovations. Dominant themes: social issues, eroticism.

End of the Century: Generation of '98

Writers like Miguel de Unamuno, Antonio Machado, and Pío Baroja focused on existential problems and Spain's situation.

Antonio Machado

Authored didactic prose, plays, and modernist, subjective, intimate verses. His most important work is Soledades, describing landscapes. Campos de Castilla laments the death of Leonor and includes reflections. Themes: loneliness, the passage of time, death, God, man, landscape. His style is modernist and neo-romantic, using personification and metaphors, with careful language and constant metric innovation.

Miguel de Unamuno

Wrote essays, novels, poetry, and drama. He criticized Spain's situation and suggested looking beyond Europe. Essays: expressed ideas about Spain (e.g., Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho). Novels: (e.g., Niebla, San Manuel Bueno, mártir) predominantly feature dialogue and monologue.

Pío Baroja

Incorporated philosophical concerns about existence in novels like Zalacaín el aventurero, El árbol de la ciencia, and La busca. His dialogues are vivid and natural.

Ramón María del Valle-Inclán

Notable works include Sonatas, Banderas negras, and Divinas palabras, within the Esperpento genre and the Bohemian Iberian arena.