Spanish Poetry: From Surrealism to the 1970s

Spanish Poetry: From Surrealism to the 1970s

Gabriel Celaya

Gabriel Celaya's surrealist poetry led to existential, social, and avant-garde works. Key themes include:

• Insecurity of the individual seeking their place in the world.
• Existential poetry characterized by a simple and colloquial tone.
• Ethical commitment.
• Merging with the poetic 'we'.
• Literature as a fight for social solidarity.
• 1960s poetry that was avant-garde and moved away from sentimentality.
• The failure of Marxist humanism.

Blas de Otero

Blas de Otero's poetry aimed to shake consciences through existentialism and social commentary. He began with religious poetry (Angel Fieramente Humano), expressing anguish and death. His confrontation with God led to a search that ended in empty loneliness. Later, his poetry turned towards social themes.

1960s Poetry and Collective Identity: In the late 1950s, a group of poets, without abandoning social poetry, sought a more elaborate and personal language. Poetry became a tool for understanding reality. This period saw two main groups:

• Barcelona: Carlos Barral, José Agustí Goytisolo, Jaime Gil de Biedma
• Madrid: Claudio Rodríguez, Ángel González, José Ángel Valente

Themes included time, the transience of life, destruction, sadness, memories of childhood, adolescence as paradise, lost love, intimate eroticism, and friendship.

Characteristics of this poetry:

• Meditative and reflective character.
• Use of colloquial language.
• Dominance of free verse.
• Use of humor and irony to distance itself from reality.

The 1970s

Changes in Spanish poetry production since the 1960s are reflected in José María Castellet's anthology, Nine Newest Spanish Poets (1970). Authors included Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, Ana María Moix, Carmen Conde-Abadal, Guillermo Carnero, Félix Grande, Leopoldo María Panero, and Pere Gimferrer.

Characteristics of 1970s poetry:

• Appreciation for mass-cultural artistic manifestations and references to global culture.
• Luis Antonio Villena, Luis Alberto de Cuenca, and Antonio Colinas stand out.
• Appreciation for European and Hispanic American literature.
• Presence of exoticism and urban beauty, symbolized by Venice.