Understanding the Romantic Movement in Literature

Romanticism: A Literary Movement

Romanticism is a movement that broke with the established schemes of Neoclassicism, defending fantasy, imagination, and passion over rationalism. It began in Germany with the Sturm und Drang movement and soon spread across Europe, though its arrival in Spain was delayed and brief.

Prose and the Novel

In prose, the novel stands out with two main subgenres:

• The Historical Novel: Modeled after Walter Scott (author of Ivanhoe). The plots are drawn from national history and revolve around a hero and their struggle against fate. A notable example is Gil y Carrasco's El señor de Bembibre.
• The Social Novel (or Serial): Modeled after the French author Eugène Sue, it addresses social issues with a melodramatic tone and was published in newspapers.

Also important is the costumbrismo (customs sketch), a short prose article. There are two main varieties: scenes (focusing on facts and customs) and types (focusing on characters). The principal authors were Mesonero Romanos (Panorama Matritense and Escenas matritenses) and Mariano José de Larra, who wrote articles on customs, politics, and literature, effectively creating a new style of journalism (notably Vuelva usted mañana and Casarse pronto y mal).

Romantic Theatre

Romantic success in theatre began with the release of Don Álvaro o la fuerza del sino by the Duke of Rivas in 1835. Another key author was Zorrilla, who wrote Don Juan Tenorio. This theatre is defined by a lack of rules and total freedom:

• Themes: Classics, adventure, and historical-national subjects, with love and freedom as the standard. The goal is not to instruct, as in Neoclassicism, but to move the audience.
• Characters: The number of characters increases. The male hero is often mysterious and courageous, while the heroine is innocent and faithful. Both are marked by a fatal destiny.
• Structure: The rule of the three unities is abandoned. Works mix prose and verse, as well as tragedy and comedy.
• Scenarios: Settings include cemeteries, ruins, and landscapes that reflect the characters' moods and feelings.

Romantic Poetry

Romantic poets composed their work amid an outburst of feelings, expressing their thoughts and emotions through diverse metrics. The main themes include:

1. The Self: Intimacy coupled with feelings of freedom and rebellion.
2. Passionate Love.
3. Historical and Legendary Themes.
4. Social Demands: Especially regarding marginalized characters.
5. Nature: Adapting to the mood of the poem.

Two of the most outstanding authors are José de Espronceda, with works such as The Student of Salamanca and the unfinished The Devil World, and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, a representative of later Romanticism, who wrote Legends and Rhymes, a collection of 79 short poems.