Spanish literature: the best works and writers

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Spanish literature dates back to the 12th century, when the Spanish language was born and finally took shape. Prior to this, the peoples who lived on the territory of modern Spain wrote and communicated exclusively in Latin. The entire history of this literature can be roughly divided into four periods. These are the period of birth, the period of prosperity, the period of decline and imitation, and the period of rebirth.

The Song of My Side

One of the most ancient works of the Spaniards called "The Song of My Side" belongs to the period of the birth of Spanish literature. In it, an unknown author sings of the national hero named Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, who is known to many under the Arabic nickname Sid.

Presumably, it was written no later than 1200, but it has not survived in its entirety. At the same time, it is "The Song of My Sid" that is a classic example of the literature of that period. In it you can find patriotic motives, the heroes are pious, faithful and devoted to theirking.

Literary critics noted that the language of the work itself is very rude and as simple as possible, but it is imbued with the spirit of heroism, paints a vivid picture of life in the days of chivalry.

Spanish Renaissance literature

During this period, Italian masters have a beneficial effect on the Spaniards. In poetry, Juan Boscan, who worked in the 16th century, occupies the leading role. He often turned to the traditions of Petrarch, enriching Spanish poetry with 10-syllable verse, sonnets and octaves. He often worked with antique subjects. For example, in the poem "Hero and Leander".

The religious epic in literature can be studied on the basis of the works of John of the Cross. He wrote treatises in prose titled "Dark Night of the Soul", "Living Flame of Love", "Climbing Mount Carmel".

The pastoral novel is very popular in the literature of the Spanish Renaissance. Prominent representatives of this trend are Gaspar Polo and Alonso Perez, who wrote a sequel to Montemayor's popular shepherd's novel "Diana Enamorada", which for a long time remained a model of a classic pastoral novel in Spain.

Renaissance literature in Spain is for many associated with the advent of the picaresque novel. Its distinguishing features are a realistic depiction of the mores of modern society, as well as human characters. The founder of this genre in Spain is Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, who wrote the story "Lazarillo from Tormes".

Lope de Vega

A bright representative of the Spanish literature of this period is the playwright Lope de Vega, who was born in 1562. Before him, there were playwrights in Spain, but there was no national Spanish drama yet. It was de Vega who managed to create a classic Spanish theater, to become a vivid expression of the feelings and wishes of his people.

For about 40 years he wrote new plays, enjoying great popularity all this time. In addition, he was incredibly prolific, writing more than two thousand plays, about 20 volumes of lyric poems, as well as quite a few poems. Lope de Vega had a significant impact on the next generation of writers, not only Spanish but also Italian and French playwrights. It is with his name that the heyday of Spanish drama is associated.

In his plays, the author touches on all sorts of topics - foreign and domestic history, socio-political, love dramas and historical chronicles. The historical layer occupies a separate place in his works. The plays of the playwright are constructed in such a way that some random events constantly interfere with the development of the plot, which bring the drama of the work to the point of tragedy. Romantic intrigue often helps to reveal the full power of the human instincts of the main characters, Lope de Vega demonstrates a variety of human characters, behaviors in society and the family, while not forgetting the religious and political ideas that dominate among his contemporaries.

Perhaps his most famous work is the comedy in three acts "The Dog in the Manger". This oneof the most famous books of the golden age of Spanish literature. He wrote it in 1618. At the center of the story is a young widow from Naples named Diana. Teodoro's secretary takes over her heart. However, the situation is aggravated due to the fact that Teodoro himself sympathizes with her servant Marcela, they even have a wedding planned.

Diana is unsuccessfully trying to cope with her feelings. Then she writes a letter to her chosen one on behalf of a fictitious Roman friend, in which she confesses her feelings and asks the young man to evaluate this text and rewrite it with her own hand. A man guesses about her true reasons, while realizing that there is a whole abyss between them. Marcela is overcome with jealousy and Diana locks her up in her bedchamber for a few days.

Teodoro himself is going through hard times at this time, the countess plays with him, first giving hope for a further relationship, and then pushing him away from her. As a result, Teodoro breaks up with Marcelo in order to take revenge on him, the girl brings Fabio's servant closer to her.

Teodoro breaks down at some point, throwing out on the countess all the emotions he has accumulated during this time. The main thing he reproaches Diana is that she behaves like a dog in the manger. Diana slaps the young man, behind which lies the real passion that she feels for the young man. This fascinating story still keeps the audience in suspense, the play is regularly performed on the stages of theaters around the world.

The author's work falls on the period of the golden age of Spanish literature.

Calderon

Spanish LiteratureThe 17th century is associated with the name of Calderon for many. He was not only a poet, but also a successful warrior and priest. No less popular than Lope de Vega.

He demonstrated a high level of his skill in building the plot, as well as in various stage effects, which he actively used in his works.

Calderon, like Lope de Vega, wrote many plays - about 200, and was much more popular abroad than at home. Literary critics of that time put him on a par with Shakespeare. Spanish theaters still play some of his plays.

His works can be divided into three types. These are dramas of honor, they are dominated by baroque issues - religion, love and honor. The key conflict is often associated with the need to comply with them, even sacrificing human life. Although the action is moved to the distant past, the author raises the actual problems of his time. These are such dramas as "The Alcalde of Salamey", "The Painter of His Infamy", "The Steadfast Prince".

In philosophical dramas, which were very popular in the Spanish literature of the 17th century, the fundamental questions of being, human suffering, free will are touched upon. At the same time, the action is transferred to countries exotic for Spain, such as Russia or Ireland, in order to emphasize the local and historical flavor. Among the examples are the works "Magician", "Life is a dream", "Purgatory of St. Patrick". Spanish literature about Russia was at that time of interest to many of Calderon's contemporaries,that's why he was so popular.

And finally, Calderon's intrigue comedies are built according to the classical canons. They have a fascinating, often love affair, initiated by women. You can often come across the well-known "calderon move", when the key role is played by items that happened to be with the heroes by chance, or letters that came to them by mistake.

Servantes

The study of Spanish literature for beginner connoisseurs of literature must begin with the famous novel by Miguel de Cervantes "Don Quixote". This is one of the most significant literary works in world history. The first part of this novel appeared in 1605. Initially, the work was conceived as a parody of chivalric romances. As a result, it became so popular that it was translated into all European languages.

Cervantes ironically tells about the adventures of a cunning hidalgo who tries to live according to the old knightly ways, although the world around has fundamentally changed. Those around him make fun of him, but Don Quixote himself is not at all embarrassed, he, not paying attention to the opinions of others, is fighting windmills. Faithful and devoted to him, only his servant Sancho Panso remains, who endures all the eccentricities of his master.

Cervantes is also known as the author of numerous short stories, which depict the absolute truth of life, imbued with a national graceful spirit. In his stories, he depicts the era as realistically as possible, striking the reader with a rich and vividlanguage. This is a prime example of Spanish classical literature.

Baroque

In the history of Spanish literature there was both a period of decline and imitation. It coincides with the era of the Spanish Baroque, which began at the end of the 16th century. It was then that the Gongrism school arose, named after its main and brightest representative, Luis Gongora.

The early works of this author are songs and romances written in the folk spirit. In the later period of his work, he was distinguished by an intricate, pompous and sometimes artificial style, which saturated with a large number of metaphors and strange turns. Often his works were so complex in form that they were not accessible to every reader for understanding. The main theme was the idea of the fragility and inconstancy of human existence in this world. These are the features characteristic of the Spanish Baroque.

He had many students and imitators, among whom we can mention Villamed, who, like the others, set himself the main goal of repeating the teacher's style as much as possible.

19th century literature

In the 19th century, Spanish literature flourished. At this time, the dominant pseudo-classicism was replaced by romanticism. One of the most prominent representatives of this era is Jose Mariano de Larra, who worked under the pseudonym Figaro. He had an incredibly bright satirical talent, which was combined with natural ingenuity and an inquisitive mind. He depicts the plagues and vices that reign in society,creating meaningful yet very short essays.

If we talk about the more serious dramatic Spanish literature of the 19th century, then it is necessary to mention Manuel Tamayo y Baus, who actually introduced a new genre - Spanish psychological and realistic drama, based on the best German examples. True, his works were practically not translated into Russian, so it is not easy for a domestic reader to evaluate his talent.

Prose writer Juan Valera stands out among the representatives of realism. A graduate of the Faculty of Law of the University of Granada, he held high positions in the diplomatic service, having traveled half the world for work. He finally returned to Spain after the revolution of 1868, holding a number of government positions up to the Minister of Education.

Valera made his debut in Spanish literature with a collection of soulful lyrical poems, then wrote speeches and critical articles in which he depicted the current state of national literature. A notable phenomenon in his creative biography is the novel "Pepita Jimenez", after which he writes the works "Juanita Long", "Illusions of Doctor Faustino", which left a mark. During his travels around the world, Valera visited Russia, he left detailed notes about his trip.

If we talk about novelists in the Spanish literature of this period, then Benito Perez Galdos has an obvious primacy, whose novels were distinguished by a fresh look at ordinary things, realistic and unusually lively pictures that illustrated modern Spanish life.

XXcentury

Spanish literature of the 20th century plays a big role in public life. At the very beginning of the century, it was based on representatives of the "Generation of 98". This is the name given to a group of Spanish writers who are experiencing an acute crisis due to the final collapse of the empire in 1898. Most of them were between 35 and 45 years old by the beginning of the 20th century.

One of the largest representatives of this trend is Vicente Blasco Ibanez. This is a famous social novelist who in his work embodied the ideas of democratic criticism of the surrounding reality.

His novels are the most popular. In Spanish fiction, a special place is occupied by the work "The Cursed Farm". Events unfold in a small village near Valencia. In the center of the story is a landowner who makes money by usury, as well as his tenants.

The novel "In the Orange Orchards" shows the relationship between the young politician and lawyer Rafael Brull and the popular singer Leonora. Ibanez, as he often does in his works, describes several generations of one family, tells how its members climbed the career and status ladder. His characters live in a religious and very conservative family, which is opposed by the doctor and intellectual Dr. Moreno, he is a Republican in his convictions.

Another famous book by Ibáñez "Reed and Silt" is a vivid story about three generations of fishermen who live and work on the shores of a small lake Albufera. It was her author himself who considered his ownthe best work. It depicts grandfather Paloma, the oldest fisherman in the entire village, who monitors the observance of professional traditions and in every possible way protects the honor of the family. His son Tono is a decent and hardworking man who leaves his father's profession in order to start cultivating the land and make money on it. And now his son, named Drowning, is a loafer who is not capable of any work, but spends most of his time at parties and in entertainment establishments.

Federico Garcia Lorca

The real classic of Spanish literature in the XX century is the work of the poet Federico Garcia Lorca. He has been called a key figure in the "Generation of 27", which included Spanish writers and poets who considered themselves followers of the Spanish Baroque poet Luis de Gongora. In 1927 it was exactly 300 years since his death.

As a child, Lorca did not study well, but in the 1910s he began to show himself in local art communities. In 1918 he published his first collection of poetry called "Impressions and Landscapes", which immediately made him famous, although it did not bring much money.

In 1919, in Madrid, Lorca met the most significant artists of his time - director Luis Buñuel and painter Salvador Dali. In the same period, he begins to write his first dramatic works.

As a result, he becomes a prominent figure among avant-garde artists, releasing poetry collections "Gypsy Romancero", in whichtries to mix the mythology of the gypsies with the everyday life around him.

Lorca leaves for America for about a year, and when he returns, he finds the emerging Second Spanish Republic. Many call his work a real breakthrough in Spanish literature. The poet and playwright works extensively in the theater, creating his famous plays The House of Bernarda Alba, Bloody Weddings and Yerma.

The Spanish Civil War begins in 1936. Lorca has sympathy for the left, so he is forced to leave the capital for Granada. But even there he is in danger. The poet is arrested and, according to the main version, shot the very next day. After his assassination, General Franco, who came to power, forbids all his work. Adapted literature in Spanish in Russia has long been studied based on the works of Lorca.

Jose Ortega y Gasset

Another prominent representative of the literature of the 20th century is the writer and philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. Popularity came to him in 1914, when he published his first work en titled "Reflections on Don Quixote". In his philosophical lectures, he adhered to the position of young intellectuals of his time, some researchers believe that it was his work that played a special role in the fall of the monarchy.

Among his most famous works are such as "The theme of our time", "Dehumanization of art". Formulating his key philosophical ideas, he insists that a person cannotconsidered in isolation from historical circumstances and the people around him.

Popularity outside of Spain came to him after the publication of the work "Revolt of the Masses", in which he declares that the only existing reality is human being-with-things. Ortega was convinced that his conclusions anticipated many of the ideas of Martin Heidegger, which were set forth in 1927 in the work "Being and Time".

Ortega played a big role in the development of the Spanish philosophical school, being engaged in teaching activities. For example, the basis of the book "What is Philosophy" was his lectures given in 1929 at the University of Madrid.

Arturo Perez-Reverte

In modern Spanish literature, the loudest and most famous name is Arturo Perez-Reverte. This is our contemporary, who is 66 years old. Since the early 1970s, he has worked as a war correspondent covering conflicts in hot spots around the world.

He devoted his first novel called "The Hussar" to the times of the Napoleonic Wars. Real success came to him in 1990, when the novel The Flemish Board saw the light of day. This is a fascinating mixture of action-packed detective story and a fascinating book. During the restoration of a 15th-century painting, the main characters discover an inscription hidden from prying eyes. The picture shows a chess position, analyzing the arrangement of pieces on it, the characters are trying to solve a mysterious murder that was committed in the 15th century.

In 1994, the novel was filmed by JimMcBride.

In 1993, Perez-Reverte wrote another of his famous works - this is the novel "Club Dumas, or the Shadow of Richelieu". The events in it are no less exciting. The action takes place in the world of books. All the heroes are book dealers, bibliophiles, bookbinders, or simply passionate lovers and fans of books. Among them are those who prefer "cloak and sword" novels, and those who love detective stories or works on demonology.

One of them is the bibliophile Varo Borja, who hires a specialist to compare three known copies of a unique edition called "The Book of the Nine Gates to the Realm of Shadows", which was published in 1666 by the little-known printer Aristide Torchia. Torquia was later accused of heresy by the Holy Inquisition and then burned at the stake. The circulation of the book was almost completely destroyed, only a few copies have survived to our time.

Borja confesses that he studied the interrogations of the printer, from which it follows that there is another copy of this book, hidden in a secret place. This fact haunts the main character. He wants to find out which of the three is the real one no matter what.

This seemingly simple task turns into big trouble for the researcher. Someone is after him, killing everyone he meets or crosses paths in any way. At the end of the work, most of the mysteries receive a very unexpected explanation. It is not possible to explain in a rational way only the main riddle. The only conclusion to be drawn fromreader, based on hints and circumstantial evidence scattered by the author throughout the novel, is incredible and fantastic.

This novel was also filmed. The legendary Roman Polanski directed the movie and starred Johnny Depp, Lena Olin and Emmanuel Seigner.

There is also a whole cycle of works that glorified Perez-Reverte. These are historical adventure novels from the Adventures of Captain Alatriste series. In 1996, the series was opened by the work "Captain Alatriste", followed by "Pure Blood", "Spanish Fury", "King's Gold", "Cavalier in a yellow tunic", "Corsairs of the Levant", "Bridge of Assassins".