Modernismo is a literary movement that took place primarily during the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth-century in the Spanish-speaking world, best exemplified by Rubén Darío who is also known as the father of Modernismo. The term Modernismo specifically refers to the literary movement that took place primarily in poetry. This literary movement began in 1888 after the publication of Rubén Darío's Azul... . It gave Modernismo a new meaning. The movement died around 1920, four years after the death of Rubén Darío. In Aspects of Spanish-American Literature, the author writes (1963), “We must make art the basic element in our culture; the appreciation of beauty is a promise that we will arrive at the understanding of justice...” (pg. 35). Modernismo influences the meaning behind words and the impact of poetry on culture. Modernismo, in its simplest form, is finding the beauty and advances within the language and rhythm of literary works. Other notable exponents are Leopoldo Lugones, Manuel Gutiérrez Nájera, José Asunción Silva, Julio Herrera y Reissig, Julián del Casal, Manuel González Prada, Aurora Cáceres, Delmira Agustini, Manuel Díaz Rodríguez and José Martí. It is a recapitulation and blending of three European currents: Romanticism, Symbolism and especially Parnassianism. Inner passions, visions, harmonies and rhythms are expressed in a rich, highly stylized verbal music. This movement was of great influence in the whole Hispanic world (including the Philippines), finding a temporary vogue also among the Generation of '98 in Spain, which posited various reactions to its perceived aestheticism. Characteristics of Modernismo Modernismo is a distinct literary movement that can be identified through its characteristics. The main characteristics of Modernismo are: Giving an idea of the culture and time that we live within, cultural maturity. Pride in nationality (pride in Latin American identity) Search for a deeper understanding of beauty and art within the rhetoric. Gives ideas of meaning through colors and images related to senses. Contains different metrics and rhythms. Uses medieval verses such as the Alexandrine verses from the French. The use of Latin and Greek mythology. The loss of everyday reality to which many of the modernismo poems are located within exotic or distant places. The cultivation of a perfection within poetry. Notable authors Rubén Darío Rubén Darío was the father of Modernismo as he trailblazed the path for future poets. Darío’s idea of modernistic poems was rejected by poets following World War I because many considered