Spanish Literature: Romanticism to Generation 27

Romantic Poetry

José de Espronceda. Stressed, especially for his poetry, his poems were collected in 1840 under the title Poetry. Two long poems stand out: The Student of Salamanca and The Devil World.

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. His most important work is Rhymes, published in 1871.

• Rhymes I-XI: Theme is poetry itself, exaltation of self, and conception of women as something unattainable.
• Rhymes XII-XXIX: Deal with the fullness of love.
• Rhymes XXX-LI: Reflect the failure of love and heartbreak.
• Rhymes LI-LXXIX: Solitude, anguish, and pain.

Mariano José de Larra. Newspapers: El Duende Satírico del Día, Pobrecito Hablador.

Realism

Features of Realism

• Objective Observation
• Contemporary Ambience
• Thesis Approach
• Psychological Analysis of Characters
• Omniscient Narrator
• Natural Style (without rhetorical excesses)
• Newspaper Medium

Benito Pérez Galdós. Prolific writer with extensive works: 32 novels, 46 National Episodes titles, and 24 plays.

Epochs of his novels:

• First Epoch: Doña Perfecta
• Contemporary Novels: Fortunata y Jacinta
• Symbolic Novels: Misericordia

Other Realist Novelists

• Juan Valera: Pepita Jiménez
• Pedro Antonio de Alarcón: The Three-Cornered Hat
• José María de Pereda: Sotileza
• Emilia Pardo Bazán: Los Pazos de Ulloa
• Armando Palacio Valdés: La Aldea Perdida
• Vicente Blasco Ibáñez: La Barraca

Spanish Literature of the 20th Century

Modernism

Rubén Darío: Creator and promoter of Modernism. Published Azul in 1888.

Antonio Machado. His beginnings are close to Modernism. Works include Soledades, Galerías y Otros Poemas and Campos de Castilla.

Juan Ramón Jiménez. His trajectory is divided into 3 stages: Sensitive, Intellectual, and Late.

Works:

• Platero y Yo
• Arias Tristes
• Diario de un Poeta Recién Casado

Generation of '98

Group of writers arising from:

• Current political, economic, and moral exhaustion.
• Reaction against realistic narrative forms.

Writers:

• Miguel de Unamuno. As a narrator, he called his creations "nivolas," characterized by their philosophical nature. Works: Niebla, San Manuel Bueno, Mártir.

Generation of '27

Writers:

• Rafael Alberti
• Federico García Lorca
• Juan Chabás
• Mauricio Bacarisse
• José María Hinojosa
• Manuel Altolaguirre
• Jorge Guillén
• José Bergamín
• Dámaso Alonso
• Gerardo Diego

Jorge Guillén: Pure poetry: Cántico (1928).

Rafael Alberti: Surrealism influence: Sobre los ángeles (1929).

Period context: Spanish Civil War and Exile (1936-1939).