Date of Award
12-1989
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Abstract
The Spanish civil war and the political regime that resulted from it deprived Spain of the presence and immediate inspiration of a large group of remarkably creative individuals. Some of the best minds of a literary generation left their country to protest the political situation and to continue to be true to their inner voices. Besides numerous personal and professional adjustments, hese people were faced with a tremendous sense of uprooting hat inevitably accompanies the experience of exile.
Only a minority among those exiles settled in the nited States, due to isolationist policies and to stringent minigration legislation. Those who did settle in the United tates were brought primarily by the efforts of American irivate individuals and by American universities.
Juan Ramon Jimenez and Pedro Salinas left Spain during he Spanish civil war--never to return. Their writings epresent some of the best poetry of their generation. This hesis will analyze the works of Jimenez and Salinas from a ■hematic, not formal point of view to search for their .ndividuai visions of the world, what critic Carlos Bousono tails the "primary intuition" of an author. The study will ilso try to demonstrate, whenever possible, what elements in the poets' "weltanschauungs" are manifestations of the general moods or philosophies of the period. For instance, in what ways the feeling of insecurity so characteristic of the period that generated the upsurge of Existentialism increased the profound existential crisis provoked by the personal experience of exile. The years of their exile were prolific for both Juan Ramon Jimenez and Pedro Salinas, but they were affected by the existential realities of exile that permeated their works and correspondence. Never political writers, their best social contributions were their transmission of the Spanish language and literary radition, as well as the timeless value of their works.
A discussion of the stipulations of the United States mmigration laws as well as a detailed study of the United itates government's policies towards the question of the Ipanish refugees have also been included.
Recommended Citation
Colbert, Olga, "Exiles From Spain's Civil War: Case Studies of Two Literary Figures" (1989). Theses and Dissertations. 830.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/830