Around 1910, the Modernists and the writers of the Spanish Generation of '98 had already produced their best results. A new generation of writers arrived on scene: Generation of '14. This name groups certain writers that don't fit in the Generation of '98 or the Generation of '27.
These authors don't have a group conscience, but they do share some features: they were intellectuals, with a will to teach the minorities, and their reflections on Spain are more serene and objective than those of the Generation of '98. Also, they had al started their literary activity during the 20th century, and had reached their maturity around 1914.
The Spanish Generation of '14 was an evolution from the previous generation of writers. While in the latter there was a spirit of renovation and independence, the Generation of '14 uses more scientific methods, and more reflexive and modern standards. They're not a renovation of the previous generation, but an evolution. The passion that the writers of '98 expressed turns into a more serene and collected opinion, often ironic, but not less felt. The main representative of this Generation of '14 is the Spanish essayist and philosopher Ortega y Gasset.
Their main organ of expression was the magazine "España", founded by Ortega y Gasset in Madrid in 1915. all the writers of this generation used this magazine to publish and diffuse their works, which were mostly essays and journalistic articles.
The outbreak of World War I was a very significant event for this generation, so much in fact that they obtain their name from it, but not as much as it meant for the literary movements in other countries which took part in the war (these generation are known as lost boys or generation du feu). The neutrality of Spain in the conflict brought severe social, economic and political consequences, like the crisis of 1917. In the intellectual plane, the war meant the division between those who took the side of the Central Powers (Germanophiles) and those who took the side of the Allies (Francophiles and Anglophiles).
The general characteristics of the Spanish Generation of '14 are:
In Spanish schools in Spain, they teach that Noucentisme is another name used to designate the authors of the Generation of '14, although there are very slight differences between the two terms. The term "noucentisme" was coined by Eugenio d'Ors, and it's technically more restricted to the cultural movements in Catalonia (mostly Barcelona). These artists (writers, painters, sculptors...) wanted to elevate the Catalonian culture to the level of the European culture. Like the Spanish Generation of '14, they searched for the perfection and beauty in their forms. They used archaic words and classical references, as well as harmonic rhythms.
The Noucentists didn't have a group conscience, but they do share some features between them and with the Generation of '14, like their intellectual education, their use of essays as the main form of expression, their Europeanism and the constant obsession for a job "well done", very polished and far from any improvisation.