Shavian shadows in Spanish lands: Shaw's impact on the 'Generation of 1898'

Abstract

This chapter will analyze the impact of George Bernard Shaw’s writing and career on the loose grouping of Spanish authors which has come to be known as the ‘Generation of 1898’ (Generación del 98). I will begin by examining what direct influence, if any, Shaw had on the work of the so-called 98ers. I will propose that, perhaps surprisingly, his strongest impact was not on the generation’s playwrights (Jacinto Benavente and Ramón del Valle-Inclán) but on its journalist and essayist Ramiro de Maeztu. I will then explain how Shaw’s international renown meant that, from the 1920s onward, he became one of the fundamental points of reference for the public’s understanding of the characteristics and direction of contemporary high culture. This meant that, even within Spain, the work and actions of the 98ers were often compared to Shaw’s by younger authors and readers. Shaw thus defined a horizon of expectations regarding the behavior of writers and public intellectuals which, in turn, determined the Spanish public’s perception of 98ers like the writer Miguel de Unamuno. This shows that, when it comes to a figure as widely known and multifaceted as Shaw, studies on his influence must take into consideration his presence as a loosely defined persona in the public’s imagination as well as his specific works and ideas.