Valencian Literary Movements and Theatrical History

The Colloquium and Josep Bernat i Baldoví

Colloquium: A festive fabric of dialogue, characterized by very flat language, representing a collective of col·loquiers outdoors for a popular public.

Josep Bernat i Baldoví (19th Century): He wrote the first known falla libretto, "El fadrí de l'Almodí" (1855), and published several short pieces of comic theater. Among them are "La Verge i l'alcalde", "Vicenteta la de Favara", and "Parlar bé no costa un patxo" (1845).

Artistic Works

Notable works include: "La de Favara", "Pasqualo i Vicenteta", "Els col·loquis de Colau", "Pataques i caragols", and "Un fandanguet a Paiporta".

The Valencian Sainete

Sainete: These are primitive forms of theater derived from the colloquia. They consist of short pieces of a comic character and event, written in popular language.

Key Features of the Sainete

• Structure: At first, it was written in one act, later expanding to three.
• Argument: The plot is often customary or based on local traditions.
• Environment: A preference for rural over urban environments.
• Authorship: The authors often had weak (fluixeta) literary training.
• Language: Many are bilingual comic sketches.
• Impact: The success was general throughout all of Valencian society.

Eduardo Escalante

His significant works include: "El procés de ma casa", "Bufar en caldo gelat", "La falla de Sant Josep", "La xala", "L'escala de la diabla", "Tres forasters de Madrid", and "Les xiques de l'entresòl".

The Generation of 1909

Key Figures: Daniel Martínez Ferrando, Miquel Duran i Tortajada, Josep Maria Bayarri, Jacint Maria Mustieles, Maximilià Alloza, Rubén Darío, Verdaguer, and Maragall.

Movement Features

1. Renewal of vocabulary, estrofisme (stanzas), metrics, and themes.
2. The poet should express themselves with sincerity, truthfulness, and intimacy.
3. The glories of the past should serve as a platform to project a new future.

Taula de Lletres Valencianes (1930)

Primary Objectives

1. Provide Valencian society with a solid cultural infrastructure.
2. Disseminate European trends and renew Valencian art.
3. Overcome the topics exalted during the Renaixença.
4. Regain the use of the Valencian language in all fields.
5. Foster a culture of patronage among the Valencian bourgeoisie.

Aesthetic Features

• Assimilation of 20th-century aesthetic changes.
• Frequent use of metaphors.
• Writing in free verse.

Postwar Valencian Literature

Dominant Trends

1. A tendency toward symbolism and intimacy.
2. An existentialist sense of being.
3. Reflective discourse.
4. A propensity for expressive secrecy.
5. Religious and moral inspiration.

Notable Authors: Xavier Casp, Rafael Villar, Jaume Bru i Vidal, Joan Fuster, Joan Valls i Jordà, and Vicent Andrés Estellés.

Key Literary Concepts

Symbolism: A movement that suggested reality through symbolic evocation, promoting a poetic word-based speech.

Existentialism: A philosophy where priority issues were focused on the individual person.