The great poet of the first romanticism in Spain is undoubtedly José de Espronceda, his name, next to Larra or Bécquer, although the latter is later, stands out especially when we talk about romanticism.
Espronceda’s poetry is well known in the literary field, it is not very difficult to find studies on the work itself and even comparative studies can be found between Spanish and Lord Byron.
- His poetry is characterized by a certain appreciation of contrasts.
- Descriptions.
- Abundance of adjectives.
- Etc.
- Espronceda is inspired by characters from the story.
- But also from legendary eras.
- He is a desperate and rebellious romantic who also participates in politics.
- In a way.
- It reminds us deeply of another romantic.
- The romantic diary: Larra.
Espronceda cultivates various genres, such as the novel, Sancho Saldaa, or the theater, in addition to practicing journalism several times, however, his most recognized activity is poetry, in fact, teaching is common in Spanish schools. children the verses that make up A Cançao do Pirata.
In this article, we invite you to discover a little more about the life and work of this author. When we think of The Pirate Song, some questions arise: Why can a pirate as a protagonist?
José de Espronceda was born in Almendralejo (in the province of Extremadura, Spain) in 1808. Politics and literature will mark your life. Already in his youth, he tried to avenge the death of Rafael de Riego and founded a secret revolutionary association that would lead him to be confined to a monastery, at which point he began to compose Pelayo, an epic poem about the Muslim conquest in Spain that was incomplete.
After leaving his lockdown, he returned to Madrid, but did not stay long, contrasting his ideas with the reality of the country would lead him into exile, first in Gibraltar, then in Lisbon and finally in London. marked by arrests and expulsions as a result of their ideology. Later, after a stay in Paris, he returned to Spain.
Espronceda was clearly influenced by Lord Byron, who introduced a final farewell after his songs, something that Espronceda would also do in some of its corners, both cite Plato and Horcio, explain the sources of their poems and have Aristotle as an art model. The literary critic Esteban Pujals dedicates a study to this relationship that is reflected in Espronceda and Lord Byron (1951), in which he affirms that while Byron excels in epic and narrative, Espronceda is superior as a lyrical poet.
In parallel with his literary career, he developed an important political activity; during his last months of life, due to his political activity, he was a member of the Progressive Party; however, he died prematurely at the age of 34 from diphtheria. At the time of his death, he was considered a great poet and had achieved success, so his funeral brought many people together and was one of the most painful in Spain.
On the other hand, we could include his transitional poems, in which Espronceda imitates his models: Jovellanos, Wordsworth ?, are poems in which he?I? Romantic makes landscape and reality subjective, resealing itself to a vision of the locus amoenus.
Leaving aside El Diablo Mundo (The diabolical world, in free translation), Las Songs (The songs, in free translation) is his most innovative production, this work is composed of six songs that, as we have already mentioned, have marginal types. The first song is in his novel Sancho Saldaa and is called? La Caitiva? (? A Cativa?, In free translation) and, although it is not the most innovative, it talks about issues such as rebellion and submission.
? Pirate’s Song? (?The pirate’s song ?, in Free Translation) is the best known, in which is finally the exaltation of the romantic hero, that pirate whose sole purpose is to live in freedom, without submitting. The pirate represents the individual hero, a character found in the European romantic tradition. Since he does not like the values of the world, he throws himself into the sea, to the absolute freedom that may exist.
What’s my boat? My treasure; What’s my god?Freedom; My law? The force of the wind; My only homeland, the sea?. – It’spronceda, pirate song?
No wonder he was considered the first Spanish romantic poet. In addition, Espronceda uses these heroes to project himself; he, like the pirate, loves above all justice and freedom. The Executioner? (“O Carrasco”, in free translation), denounces the unjust and excessively harsh penalties of the system, defending sentences adapted to the crimes committed.
Your heroes are symbolic projections of me? From the poet, they represent the symbols of individual rebellion in front of an accommodative bourgeoisie that lacks sensitivity, hence the choice of marginalized characters, such as beggars or pirates, who live outside the established rules or that serve as a denouncement for things they do not like about the world in which they live. Thus, Esproncedaizaizes its flag with heroes representing freedom.
The Student of Salamanca (1840) is a vast narrative poem that addresses the obsession of a character, Don Félix, to conquer any woman in any situation and is divided into four parts: presentation of the hero; portrait of the victim, Mrs. Elvira; revenge and death of the avenger; and finally, a night tour of the city of Salamanca. In this work stand out some of the main characteristics of romanticism, such as the exaltation of the “I”, the loves of contrast, absolute freedom, etc.
The action takes place during a long and intense night in which several events occur: the conqueror Don Félix seduces Dona Elvira, but the next day he forgets it, leaving her in deep pain that leads to death. Don Diego, Elvira’s brother, will try to avenge his sister’s death. From this moment on, magic works, the supernatural envelops the night and the mystery takes over the verses.
The Diablo Mundo is a book that Espronceda began writing in 1839, but which could not end until his death, is one of the most interesting and ambitious poems of the author, we appreciate the deep pessimism of the last years of Espronceda. , the pessimism of the revolutionary romantic.
It condemns conservatives, has a strong metaphysical and symbolic burden, explores topics such as freedom, the existence of God, etc. Evil is found in every corner, including the hearts of men, society was corrupted by hypocrisy and ignorance in the face of the pain of others. Freedom does not seem to exist and, in the world, there is no place for purity or innocence.
El Diablo Mundo is a song of rebellion against the establishment, against the laws that govern the world. Is it a chaotic world, plunged into despair? Espronceda, as a good romantic, has managed to highlight in his verses his desire for individual freedom, that freedom that does not seem to exist, that has been taken from us and that only a pirate can approach.
“Is God the frivolous, unjust, ruthless tyrant God who snatks hope from man’s heart and binds it, and condemns the sinner to eternal death?-Work, the evil world?