SOCIAL POETRY: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, REPRESENTATIVES AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

The social poetry was an intellectual current that emerged in Spain during the 1950s and 1960. At that time the context of the Iberian nation was marked by the harsh dictatorship of the "Generalissimo" Franco Francisco.

The regime began an opening phase after a bloody Civil War (1936 - 1939) and the isolation after World War II. Social poetry had Miguel Hernández, Gabriel Celaya, Blas de Otero, Ángela Figuera Aymerich and Gloria Fuertes as its best known representatives.

Gabriel Celaya, representative of social poetry. Source: Alberto Schommer, via Wikimedia Commons

Similarly, poets such as José Hierro and Vicente Aleixandre can be mentioned, the latter also a member of the so-called Generation of 27. As a historical precedent, it had the influence of authors such as César Vallejo and Carlos Edmundo de Ory.

It was a literary movement characterized by the denunciation of the injustices carried out by Franco after the end of the Civil War. The suppression of freedom of expression and the favoring of the elites of followers of the dictator were criticized. In addition to writing, this trend encompassed theater and music, inspiring artists internationally.

Origin

With the fall of its fascist allies, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, Francoism was diplomatically cloistered after 1945. These events strengthened opponents of the regime, who saw poetry as a means of expressing themselves.

Social poetry, also known as “Compromised Literature” or “Engagée”, thus broke out as a socio-political artistic protest in times of repression. Franco, by then, ruled Spain with an iron fist and unquestionable authoritarianism.

Background

The Espadaña magazine (1944-1951) marks a relevant precedent for the movement. In it, renowned poets such as Blas de Otero, César Vallejo and Pablo Neruda published. Its main objective was the vindication of Spanish artistic values ​​prior to the Civil War, whose maximum expression is denoted in the Generation of 27.

Between 1940 and 1950 there was much composition within a style known as Postism. It was created by a group of highly acclaimed avant-garde poets, including Carlos Edmundo de Ory.

Postism was distinguished by its clear tendencies toward expressionism and surrealism.

Scope

In the words of several of its own authors, compromised literature failed to fulfill its purpose. Like other artistic expressions of the time, such as cinema and theater, the objective was to promote political and social change.

It was intended to motivate the population, claim fundamental rights and not settle for the status quo of the dictatorship.

However, how much could the world or Spain be changed through poetry? People did not read poetry to inspire themselves towards socio-political change or improve their environment.

Consequently, this movement was, in artistic terms, very short-lived. With the passage of time, his poets were changing towards other styles of expression.

characteristics

A risky proposition

It was a very risky way of manifesting; the Franco government had no contempt for making everything that opposed it disappear. Therefore, the exponents of social poetry put their lives in danger for the vindication of freedom in the midst of oppression.

A means of complaint

Bust of José Hierro, representative of social poetry. Source: Carlos Delgado, via Wikimedia Commons

For these writers, “the poet must show the reality of the country, denounce the problems of the Nation and support the most disadvantaged. Poetry is seen as an instrument to change the world ”(López Asenjo, 2013).

An alternative form of communication in the face of censorship

It is important to remember that the Censorship Law was in force in Spain from 1938 to 1966. In other words, social poetry was a courageous intellectual proposal amid very restrictive press regulations. For many historians, it was one of the reference points of other world protest movements such as the Revolution of 68.

Style

The style of social poetry moves away from the intimate sentimental personal proposal or the common lyric. It uses colloquial, direct, clear language, easily understood by any type of reading public, since the objective is to reach as many people as possible. The content is the center of the composition, more relevant than the aesthetics.

The important thing is to reflect solidarity with the affections and sufferings of others, especially with the poor and marginalized.

It does not dispense with metaphors, images and other stylistic resources for literary writing. However, understanding is never compromised, the selected words are usually very concise to reduce the margin of interpretation.

Representatives and works

Representatives

The most prominent writers were:

- Miguel Hernández (1910-1942).

- Gabriel Celaya (1911-1991).

- Ángela Figuera Aymerich (1902-1984).

- José Hierro (1922-2002).

- Gloria Fuertes (1917-1998).

- Vicente Aleixandre (1898-1984).

Portrait of Gloria Fuertes, representative of social poetry. Source: Arturo Espinosa, via Wikimedia Commons

- Blas de Otero (1916-1979), the latter was the movement's most emblematic poet with his free verse, his constant calls for peace and denunciation.

Plays

The distinctive feature of social or "committed" poetry was to portray the socio-political order of Spain. This is clearly conveyed in poems like Viento del Pueblo (1937) and El Hombre que Acecha (unpublished, published in 1981), by Miguel Hernández, who is considered one of the pioneers of the movement.

It should be noted that Miguel Hernández was also part of the avant-garde movements of 27 and 36.

Vicente Aleixandre, for his part, was integrated into different artistic trends such as the aforementioned 27 'and post-Francoism (1970s), and contributed books such as La Sombra del Paraíso (1944) and Poemas de Consumación (1968), among other works. However, Aleixandre was much better known for his surreal tendencies and fluidity.

Land without us and Alegría, both books published in 1947, were written by José Hierro and describe the desolation of wars. The trend towards solidarity is also reflected in Quinta del 42 '(1958).

Similarly, Gloria Fuertes' anti-war experiential tendency, sometimes autobiographical, was highlighted in her collaborations with the magazine Cerbatana. Fuertes knew how to reach the masses like no other due to her direct and genuine style, her work was often censored by the regime.

Blas de Otero was also an intellectual persecuted; He published his most important works of social poetry outside of Spain: I ask for Peace and the Word (1952), Ancia (1958), This is not a book (1962) and What is about Spain (1964).

The rest is silence (1952) and Cantos Íberos (1954), by Gabriel Celaya, constitute the most direct reflection of non-elitist poetry, focused on showing the reality of Franco's Spain.

Similarly, in Soria pura (1952) and Belleza cruel (1958), by Angela Figuera Aymerich, the dissident sentiment is evident. The latter was published in Mexico to avoid censorship.

References

1. Ponte, J. (2012). Committed Poetry. Spain: La Voz de Galicia Digital Magazine. Recovered from: lavozdegalicia.es
2. López A., M. (2013). Postwar Social Poetry. (N / A): Master Language. Recovered from: masterlengua.com
3. Un Memoriam: Centenario de Blas de Otero: Social and Committed Poet (2016). (N / A): Someday somewhere. Recovered from: algundiaenalgunaparte.com.
4. Poems of Social Content. (2016). (N / A): The Almanac. Recovered from: com.
5. Social poetry (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: wikipedia.org.