Spanish Realist Literature - Poetry

Poetry

While it is true that towards the second half of the 19th century the novel evolved quickly towards Realism, this did not happen to poetry and to drama, whose transformation was less violent and still continued to be infused with Romanticism until the end of the century.

This late Romanticism is more apparent than real; sometimes it lacks depth and the lyric exaltation to which the true romantic abandoned himself. This is due to the social reality of the moment: the time in which the bourgeoisie would consolidate the Restoration of 1875. This society, which was laying the foundations of Capitalism and was taking the first steps of industrialization in the country, did not leave room for the people who admired art for art's sake.

The most representative writers are Gaspar Núñez de Arce and Ramón de Campoamor, sometimes considered as opponents of Romanticism, because Romanticism was still in its final throes as is evidenced in the classic works of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer and Rosalía de Castro.

Read more about this topic:  Spanish Realist Literature

Famous quotes containing the word poetry:

    That was a way of putting it not very satisfactory:
    A periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion,
    Leaving one still with the intolerable wrestle
    With words and meanings. The poetry does not matter
    —T.S. (Thomas Stearns)

    Our poetry emulates the recent progress in military strategy: Our army’s strength is the foot soldiers.
    Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)

    If there’s no money in poetry, neither is there poetry in money.
    Robert Graves (1895–1985)