Spanish Poetry of the 1940s: Rooted vs. Uprooted Voices

Spanish Poetry of the 1940s

This period is characterized by a poetry of exile and imprisonment. Authors in this situation developed themes of the lost homeland, nostalgia for Spain, and the war, all expressed in a tone of bitterness, despair, and helpless nostalgia. The existential theme emerges, and personal resentment is often set aside to address more universal human issues.

Two Major Trends in Post-War Poetry

Rooted Poetry (Poesía Arraigada)

This movement was formed by poets who emerged from the war with a desire for optimism, perfection, and order. These poets were grouped around two magazines: Garcilaso, founded by José García Nieto and featuring poets like Jesús Juan Garcés, Jesús Revuelta, Pedro Lorenzo, and José María Valverde; and Escorial, associated with the "Generation of '36," which included Dionisio Ridruejo, Leopoldo Panero, Luis Rosales, and Luis Felipe Vivanco.

This was a poetry of confidence, presenting a positive vision of the world that often overlooked the harsh realities of the time. They esteemed classical forms, influenced by writers of the Renaissance and the Golden Age, such as Garcilaso de la Vega.

Key Themes

• Love
• The Castilian landscape
• Country and patriotism
• God

Key Authors and Works

• Dionisio Ridruejo: "Sonnets to the stone," "In the solitude of time"
• Luis Rosales: "Retablo de Navidad," "Rimas"
• Luis Felipe Vivanco: "Time of Sorrow," "Continuation of Life"
• Leopoldo Panero: "The empty room," "Verses of the Guadarrama"

Uprooted Poetry (Poesía Desarraigada)

This trend emerged in 1944 following the publication of two landmark post-war works: Sombra del paraíso (Shadow of Paradise) by Vicente Aleixandre and Hijos de la ira (Sons of Wrath) by Dámaso Alonso. These poets gathered around the magazine Espadaña, which included figures like Eugenio de Nora, Victoriano Crémer, and Antonio G. de Lama.

In stark contrast to Rooted Poetry, this was a poetry of tragic tone, expressing the existential angst of the human being in a chaotic world.

Key Themes

The subject matter often featured religious conflict, full of doubt and despair. It also reflected issues such as:

• Hunger, repression, and injustice
• Loneliness, pain, and the human condition
• A questioning of faith and a direct, sometimes confrontational, address to God

Style

The style is harsh but simple. Beauty was not the primary goal; instead, the focus was on expressive power and emotional intensity.

Key Authors and Works

• Victoriano Crémer: "Tacto sonoro" (Sound Touch)
• José Luis Hidalgo: "Los muertos" (The Dead)
• Gabriel Celaya: "Tranquilamente hablando" (Speaking Quietly)
• José Hierro: "Tierra sin nosotros" (Earth Without Us)
• Blas de Otero: "Ángel fieramente humano" (Fiercely Human Angel)
• Eugenio de Nora: "Pueblo cautivo" (Captive People)
• Carlos Bousoño: "Invasión de la realidad" (Invasion of Reality)

Other Minority Trends

Postismo

An avant-garde movement promoted by Carlos Edmundo de Ory, which emphasized freedom of expression.

Cántico Group

An aestheticist trend characterized by formal and lexical delicacy. Notable poets from this group include Ricardo Molina and Pablo García Baena.