“Muses Beyond the Seas”: Spanish and Latin American Women Poets as Figures of the Transnational Avant-Garde (1920–1936)

Abstract

The early twentieth century saw the emergence of an avant-garde culture, which marked a turning point in the literary history of Spain. Until recently, the dominant approach to Spanish avant-garde poetry has been a generational one. Critics have mainly focused on male poets identified with the Generation of 1927, which has been seen as a predominantly Spanish phenomenon. This study takes a different approach by questioning Spain’s exclusion from studies of the transnational avant-garde. By looking at literary circles and avant-garde magazines, this article provides an insight into the transnational exchanges between Spanish and Latin American women poets, who shared an aesthetic approach and engaged with avant-garde themes. It also examines the correspondence between Carmen Conde and Ernestina de Champourcín and highlights their connections to Alfonsina Storni, Gabriela Mistral, Juana de Ibarbourou, and Delmira Agustini. A study of the transatlantic connections among these women poets aims to offer a better understanding of the influences on their work, the impact they exerted beyond national borders, and the mediating role they played across cultural and geographical boundaries.