Spanish Literature: The Evolution of the Novel in the 60s and 70s

The Novel in the 1960s

Foreign Influences

The Spanish novel of the 1960s was heavily influenced by international authors such as Joyce, Kafka, Proust, Beckett, and Faulkner. Furthermore, the movement was shaped by Latin American literature, specifically the works of Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez. The dissemination of these works was largely facilitated by the publisher Seix Barral.

Key Works and Authors

Notable works from this decade include:

• Tiempo de silencio (Time of Silence) by Luis Martín-Santos
• Señas de identidad (Signs of Identity) by Juan Goytisolo
• Cinco horas con Mario (Five Hours with Mario) by Miguel Delibes

Narrative Characteristics

This period is defined by several stylistic shifts:

• Loss of narrative relief: A shift in perspective involving dialogue between the narrator and fictional characters.
• Temporal disruption: Frequent use of flashbacks to break linear storytelling.
• Stream of consciousness: Use of direct interior monologue and fragmented syntax.
• Linguistic innovation: A tendency toward creating new words and emphasizing visuality, including the use of different fonts to present alternative histories.

These trends were also evident in works like Don Juan by Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, Últimas tardes con Teresa by Juan Marsé, and Ágata ojo de gato by Caballero Bonald.

Author Profiles

Luis Martín-Santos

Known for his stories and parables, his masterpiece Tiempo de silencio marked a milestone in the Spanish novel, revealing influences from Baroja in its environmental descriptions.

Juan Goytisolo

A prolific writer of both narrative and essays, he spent much of his later life in Morocco. Notable work: La resaca (The Curtain).

Gonzalo Torrente Ballester

Born in Ferrol and a member of the RAE, he won the Premio Planeta for Filomeno, a mi pesar. Other works include Crónica del rey pasmado and La saga/fuga de J.B.

Miguel Delibes

A member of the Royal Spanish Academy and recipient of the Cervantes Prize, his works include La sombra del ciprés es alargada, Mi hijo Sisi, Cinco horas con Mario, El disputado voto del señor Cayo, and Los santos inocentes.

The Novel in the 1970s

Experimentalism

From the late 1960s, a stream known as experimentalism emerged, characterized by a total rejection of traditional anecdotes. This trend included authors such as José María Guelbenzu, Félix de Azúa, Juan Cruz, and Juan Eslava Galán.

Juan Benet

Benet deserves special mention for pioneering a new type of novel focused on language development and reflection. His key works include Volverás a Región, Saúl ante Samuel, and El aire de un crimen.

Common Trends

The Spanish novel of this era is characterized by the coexistence of different tendencies, sharing commonalities such as:

• Renewed interest in history
• Stylistic variety
• Diversity of topics
• Metafiction (literature about literature)