Spanish Poetry from 1940 to 1970: Key Movements and Poets

Spanish Poetry from 1940 to 1970

Postwar poetry was strongly conditioned by the historical situation in Spain. Following the horrors of the recently concluded war, poets sought answers, often addressing God with spiritual complaints, questions, or revelations. Later, they turned their attention toward others, adopting the voice of the majority, which gave rise to social poetry.

Lyric activity was primarily focused on collaboration in literary magazines:

• Garcilaso: Brought together official poets close to the regime who cultivated a classic lyrical style, offering an optimistic view of humanity and the world, such as Luis Rosales and Leopoldo Panero.
• Espadaña: The journal of the regime's opponents, which contributed an uprooted vision of a troubled and imperfect world, featuring Blas de Otero and Gabriel Celaya.

Pablo García Baena and the Cántico Group

After the war, a group of poets in Córdoba cultivated pure poetry in a magazine founded in 1947 called Cántico. Its name was inspired by the work of Jorge Guillén, and it was also influenced by the intimacy and refinement of Luis Cernuda. Pablo García Baena (Córdoba, 1923) is the main representative of this group, where love—specifically forbidden love—is a key theme. The group also included authors such as Juan Bernier, Ricardo Molina, and Julio Aumente.

Spiritual and Social Poetry

Early postwar poetry was characterized by a spiritual tone, with poets seeking divine explanations for their surroundings. Gradually, this trend reversed, and by the end of the 1940s, a social poetry emerged in Spain, marking an evolution from the "I" (the protagonist of the spiritual lyric) to the "we."

The two most representative authors are Gabriel Celaya (Cantos íberos) and Blas de Otero (Ancia, Pido la paz y la palabra). José Hierro is also recognized as one of the most personal poets of the second half of the century.

Social poetry avoids intimate, individual problems to focus on the collective. It rejects aestheticism and pure poetry, asserting that the poet must set aside personal issues to commit to the current situation. It aims to create clear poetry for the vast majority, employing colloquial traits in its quest for clarity.

The Generation of the 50s

By the mid-twentieth century, a group of poets emerged that deviated from social poetry. This group includes Ángel González, José Ángel Valente, Jaime Gil de Biedma, Claudio Rodríguez, and José Agustín Goytisolo. Poetry returned to a focus on the human condition. This movement is skeptical, doubting the ability of poetry to transform the world, while focusing on everyday life, regaining intimacy, and showing a clear concern for aesthetics.