Spanish Poetry After the Civil War

Spanish Poetry in the Late 20th Century

The Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship interrupted the development of Spanish poetry during the second half of the twentieth century. While figures like Unamuno, Machado, and Lorca died, many poets of the Generation of '27 went into exile. In 1940, several exiled poets continued their work outside of Spain. The central themes of their works included the evocation of a lost Spain, the desire to recover the past, pain, and anguish.

Key Poets in Exile

• Juan Gil-Albert: His poetry draws from the classical world to address the theme of nature. His works notably highlight his Illusions.
• León Felipe: His work is characterized by a significant indignant tone and a prophetic air.
• Pedro Garfias: Recognized as the most brilliant Ultraist poet, his work captures the nostalgia and pain of a distant country, filled with feelings of anguish and loneliness.

The Figure of Miguel Hernández

Alongside the work of these poets in exile, the figure of Miguel Hernández serves as a bridge between two stages of Spanish poetry. We can distinguish several stages in his work:

• First Stage: A Góngora-inspired style defines his first book, Perito en lunas (Expert on Moons), which was heavily influenced by the Generation of '27.
• Second Stage: During the war, his political commitment was reflected in Viento del pueblo (Wind of the People). This period opens with an elegy and continues with works of social concern.
• Third Period: This stage is defined by poems written in prison. Cancionero y romancero de ausencias (Songbook and Ballad of Absences) is his poetic peak, featuring themes of love for his wife and son.

Trends in Post-War Spain: Rooted vs. Uprooted

Dámaso Alonso distinguishes two trends among the poets who remained in Spain: rooted poetry and uprooted poetry.

Rooted Poetry (Poesía Arraigada)

Cultivated by writers of the Generation of '36, this movement adopts a classical and heroic tone. These poets grouped around magazines such as Escorial, Juventud, and Garcilaso. The most important poets include:

• Luis Rosales with La casa encendida (The House on Fire).
• Leopoldo Panero with Escrito a cada instante (Written at Every Moment).
• Dionisio Ridruejo with Sonetos a la piedra (Sonnets to the Stone).

The characteristics of this poetry include a return to rhyme, traditional metrical forms (moving away from previous free verse), and escapist themes that remained far from contemporary problems.

Uprooted Poetry (Poesía Desarraigada)

This movement opened the road to contemporary Spanish poetry. Two key works served as landmarks for poets of the 1950s and 1960s: Hijos de la ira (1944) by Dámaso Alonso and Sombra del paraíso (1944) by Vicente Aleixandre. This existentialist and realistic poetry soon evolved into social poetry. It is characterized by feelings of anguish and despair. A raw, colloquial language is used, and traditional metrics are frequently replaced by free verse.