Valle-Inclán and the Evolution of Spanish Theater
The Plays of Valle-Inclán
The dramatic production of Valle-Inclán is profound. Although his works were often kept away from the stage of his time, he is regarded as an author who saw beyond his era.
- Originality
- Radical approaches
- Wealth and expressiveness
- Unique themes and aesthetics
Theater Evolution of Valle-Inclán
His work, linked to the Generation of '98, was highly critical of society, culture, and politics. He pioneered the grotesque style:
- His early work is part of the Modernist movement.
- He experimented with the Mythical Cycle (a trilogy).
- The culmination of this cycle is Divinas palabras.
- He developed a series of grotesque farces and caricatured puppets, such as Italian Farce of the Love of the King.
The Esperpento
In 1920, Valle-Inclán intensified the grotesque with the publication of Luces de Bohemia. This style involves the systematic deformation of characters and values, serving as a unique way of perceiving the world.
Features: A blend of pain, the grotesque, the tragic, and the comic, characterized by lexical richness, diverse registers, multiple dimensions, numerous characters, and varied spaces and times between scenes.
Works of the Esperpento
- Martes de Carnaval (Los cuernos de Don Friolera, Las galas del difunto, La hija del capitán)
- Luces de Bohemia (1920): A masterpiece of Valle-Inclán's theater.
He utilized distorting mirrors to critique the Spain of his time, addressing issues such as political corruption, social conformity, the bourgeoisie, and the artistic poverty of certain writers.
Theater in the Generation of '27
This period saw an attempt to create a new public, notably through theater companies like those supported by Lorca.
Important Authors
- Alejandro Casona (1903-1965): Known for works written in exile such as Nuestra Natacha, La dama del alba, and La barca sin pescador. His style mixes reality and fantasy with pseudo-poetic language.
- Max Aub: Author of valuable anti-realist and avant-garde theatrical works, including Espejo de avaricia and San Juan.
The Plays of Lorca
Lorca was interested in theater from an early age. The "Lorkian" theater is rooted in poetic arguments and language, with a dominant theme: the confrontation between individualism and authority.
Classification of Lorca's Theater
- Farces: Tragicomedy of Don Cristóbal and Mrs. Rosita
- Lyric Theater: Mariana Pineda
- Surreal and Committed Theater: Once Five Years Pass
- Rural Dramas: Blood Wedding, Yerma, and The House of Bernarda Alba (1936)