Spanish Poetry Evolution After 1936

Spanish Poetry After 1936

Shift in Poetic Focus

A change in attitude is evident, summarized by these features:

• Progressive disinterest in the use of image and metaphor.
• Decreased interest in poesía pura (pure poetry).
• Góngora is replaced by Garcilaso as a model.
• A more serious tone addressing issues closer to humanity: love, death, religion, etc.
• In form, traditional stanza forms are shunned in favor of free verse (versolibrismo).

The 1940s: Rooted and Rootless Poetry

During the 40s, two main currents developed:

Poetry Rooted in Tradition

This poetry was detached from the immediate reality and inspired by Garcilaso. It addressed topics such as love, nature, religion, and the exaltation of the nation, often using classical meters and stanzas. Key author: Luis Rosales.

Rootless Poetry

This current expressed pain and suffering through highly subjective poems written in free verse. Example: Dámaso Alonso's Hijos de la ira (Children of Wrath).

Social Poetry (The 1950s)

From the 50s onward, a certain ideological openness facilitated the publication of works of testimony that denounced current social problems. Poets felt compelled to use poetry as an instrument of social criticism, bearing witness to the reality of the time. The themes addressed included solidarity, the fight for freedom, and injustice, using a simple, colloquial language close to prose.

Poetry of Formal Renewal (The 1960s)

The economic development of the '60s, fueled by emigration and tourism, led to changes in customs and allowed the entry of foreign literary influences. This resulted in a renewal of form and theme in poetry. Key figures emphasizing this renewal include Jaime Gil de Biedma and Ángel González.

Towards the end of the decade, a new development emerged called "Las Últimas Cosas" (The Last Things), which incorporated elements from cinema, comics, and television, leading to a greater break with literary tradition.

Latest Trends in Poetry (Since 1975)

Since 1975, censorship ended, allowing authors to express themselves freely and leading to diverse guidelines. Spanish lyric poetry has experienced changes that do not represent abrupt breaks with the previous tradition. Authors have focused on several trends:

Main Trends

• Poetry of Experience
• New Neopurism
• Minimalism
• Sentimentality

Blas Otero (1916-1979)

His career can be divided into three stages:

1. Existential Doubt: Poems dominated by existential doubt. Themes include religious, loving, and social aspects. The language is characterized by violence and drama (e.g., Ancia).
2. Social and Political Commitment: Dominated by concern for Spain. The language is simple and clear (e.g., Pido la paz y la palabra, in Castilian).
3. Subjective Intimacy: The subject matter becomes much more subjective and intimate, with free metric and language (e.g., Historias falsas y verdaderas).