Spanish Novecentism: Modernizing the Generation of 1914

Novecentism: The Generation of 1914

In the early decades of the twentieth century, a new movement of liberal thinkers, known as the Novecentists (or the Generation of 1914), emerged. They championed a project of reform and transformation for Spain, aiming to modernize the country. Their influence spanned economic and social contexts, manifesting strongly in literary, journalistic, scientific, and artistic fields. This was an elite group characterized by notable public activity.

Salient Features of Novecentism

• Europeanization: They believed renewal required fighting scientific backwardness, opposing the traditionalism and patriotism of the fin de siècle intellectuals (Generation of '98). They understood that national regeneration was inseparable from Europeanization.
• Scientism: Advocating rigorous training, they emphasized education based on reason and science. They rejected sentimentality and personal aggrandizement.
• New Vital Sensitivity: Characterized by vigor, optimism, and joy, contrasting sharply with the skepticism, pessimism, and the "tragic sense of life" of their predecessors.
• Political Reform: Deep concern about the national reality, incorporating ideas from the human sciences.
• Essay Focus: Significant attention paid to stylistic quality and form in the essay genre.

José Ortega y Gasset: Intellectual Leader

José Ortega y Gasset was the most influential figure in Spanish culture and thought during the first decades of the twentieth century, serving as a key intellectual guide. He famously argued that the self is inseparable from its circumstances, asserting that every circumstance implies a unique, individual perspective.

Major Works by Ortega y Gasset

• Philosophical Essays: Meditations on Don Quixote, which aimed to shift reflection toward Spanish circumstances.
• Aesthetic Essays: The Dehumanization of Art, where he proposed that the goal of modern art is "making the work of art nothing but a work of art," existing "as a game and nothing else," devoid of traditional significance.
• Socio-Political Essays: Invertebrate Spain, which addresses the fragmentation of Spanish society, and The Revolt of the Masses, which critiques the rise of the unqualified majority in public life.

Other Prominent Novecentist Thinkers

Manuel Azaña

Azaña served as Minister and President of the Second Spanish Republic. His political focus included the development of education, the secularization of the State, and the reorganization of autonomous territories. He was also a notable figure in politics and literary criticism.

Eugenio d'Ors

D'Ors actively proclaimed Novecentist ideals, spreading the cult of reason. He dedicated himself to introducing contemporary currents of art, literature, and philosophy into Spain. His notable work includes Three Hours in the Museo del Prado.

Gregorio Marañón

Marañón developed important essay work, achieving considerable public success. His writings included analyses of gender relations and the role of women in society. He also prepared biographies of historical figures, often incorporating medical hypotheses to explain certain behaviors, such as in The Duke of Olivares: The Passion of Command.