Spanish Postwar Poetry: Movements and Literary Currents (1939-1964)

Spanish Postwar Poetry: Eras of Isolation and Renewal (1939-1964)

The Spanish Civil War, the onset of the Franco dictatorship, and the subsequent exile of many Spaniards, including numerous intellectuals, severely interrupted the evolution of Spanish culture and literature. This period led to profound isolation, guarded by strict political and ideological censorship. In a postwar environment marked by a lack of freedom, widespread poverty, and hunger, literature and poetry embarked on a challenging path between 1939 and 1950. During this time, two main poetic stances emerged: either approving the new political situation or reflecting the deep hopelessness regarding the present and future.

Established Poetry: Adherence to the Regime

Cultivated primarily by authors of the Generation of 1936, this poetic trend was largely complacent with the dictatorship. It adopted a dual tone:

• Classic and Heroic: Often resorting to Spain's imperial past to exalt the current order.
• Intimate: Praising the beauty of the land or expressing religious sentiment.

This idealized tone often starkly contrasted with the daily realities of poverty and disappointment experienced by most. Key poets associated with this movement include: Luis Rosales, Leopoldo Panero, and Luis Felipe Vivanco.

Uprooted Poetry: Existentialism and Dissent

Unlike the established poetry, the "Uprooted" movement reflected the profound vicissitudes of the human individual in times of distress and pain, marked by a lack of faith in the future. This was an existentialist and realistic poetry that would soon evolve into social poetry. The seminal work of this trend is "Hijos de la Ira" (Children of Wrath) by Dámaso Alonso.

While "established" poets presented a harmonious world, or were "poets with the rule," the existentialist dialectic showcased the individual's profound mismatch with their environment. A sense of tenacity and life-affirmation coexisted with the pervasive presence of death, sadness, loneliness, and despair, alongside a desperate search for faith or love. The language employed was often torn, almost violent, close to a cry, and full of dissonance. The influence of Miguel Hernández on this movement was enormous.

Postismo: Surrealism's Legacy

Alongside the widespread "Established" and "Uprooted" poetry, other minority but significant trends emerged in the 1940s. One such movement was Postismo, which sought to recover and continue the surreal poetic language through new and surprising imagery.

Social Poetry: Commitment and Transformation (1950-1964)

The existentialist literature of the previous decade naturally led to the social realist literature that flourished between 1950 and 1964. Writers shifted their focus from inner anguish to observing and contemplating the realities of the street. Their viewpoint changed, aiming to objectively present Spanish collective life and its conflicts with a strong tone of testimony, protest, and denunciation of the prevailing social situation. These poets demanded societal transformation and held a strong faith in literature as an engine for that change.

Poets became acutely aware of their role in society and the importance of society in shaping their poetry. Many were the same voices who, in the previous decade, had cried out in pain and expressed their anguish. From 1950 onwards, they denounced exclusion, unemployment, and the lack of freedom, calling for justice and peace for Spain. Their beloved country became the central protagonist of their poems. Words like commitment and solidarity best express the sentiments of these poets, as they sought to share their poems with others, with the common people, ensuring their work was not merely personal but belonged to all.

This collective attitude led them to express their messages in a transparent and accessible language. Social poets attributed a collective and historical function to poetry, emphasizing its need to be realistic: a work of its time, aimed at its time, addressing issues like labor rights or social justice. For these poets, the word held incalculable value, as essential as the air we breathe every day.