When Mexico began struggling for independence, as did other
colonies at the time, these endeavors to break away from the
Spanish homeland were reflected specially in the literature
of the time, with very patriotic writings and poetry flaring
national sentiment. Until this point in time, the Spanish
Crown had forbidden fiction so it was only once the region
had formally cut its ties with Spain that fictional works
began to emerge. One of the first Mexican writers to publish
a novel was José
Joaquín Fernandez de Lizardi. This was also a time
when literature and politics intermingled considerably.
In the late 19th century a literary movement
known as modernism passed through Mexican literary circles.
These modern writers, one of which was Manuel Gutiérrez
Nájera, believed in “art for art's sake”
and wrote on rare and exotic themes. Once this movement passed
other trends influenced literature and social themes began
being a central part of literary works.
