Sobre el autor y la obra
-
Jorge
Isaacs
o
Colombian
o
Vida:
1837-1895
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It was his only novel, but is considered one of
the most important works of 19th-century Spanish American literature
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Costumbrista novel representative of the Spanish
romantic movement
Comps
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From chronicle to novel in Spanish-America. The
development of the narrative (novelistic elements such as dialogue, character
development, interpolated narratives) as portrayed in the works of some of the Cronistas of the XVIth and XVIIth
centuries and continuing on through the XIXth century (Sigüenza y Góngora,
Fernández de Lizardi, Echeverría, Isaacs, Palma).
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Also, how it demonstrates romanticism and
costumbrismo.
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La
representación de la naturaleza.
Resumen breve de la obra
(Wikipedia)
The story narrates the
idyllic and tragic love between María and her cousin Efraín, both natives of Valle
del Cauca. In the middle of a romantic and bucolic landscape (the hacienda El Paraíso), the young characters fall
in love with each other but circumstances prevent the full realization of their
love. The first hurdle is Efraín's departure for six years to Bogotá, the
capital of Colombia, in order to pursue his high school education. After Efraín
returns to Valle del Cauca the couple is able to live together, albeit for only
three months, before he is forced to travel to London in order to study
medicine. Two years later Efraín returns to Colombia to find that María has
died of illness. Heart-broken, Efraín decides to leave Cauca definitely, this
time without a fixed destination.
What Cambridge Latin America
says (Chapter 1)
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The most widely read work of Spanish American
Romanticism (29)
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Widespread appeal, especially to sentimental
readers (29)
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Story of loss – most prominent plot line is the
decline and death of the heroine
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Idea of the ranch
where Efraín and his family live (named El Paraíso) as an Eden
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Loss – both of María and of family ranch (30)
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Secondary narrative
– the freed slave Nay’s life (“in the vision that
Isaacs presents, Africans, like all human beings, are incapable of forming a
good society without the guidance of Christianity”) (30)
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Anti-slavery message
(softened by Efraín and his father’s portrayal as kind masters) (31)
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Lots of examples of costumbrismo
– especially in descriptions of lower class characters and their habits/home
(ex: José, Chapter 9) (31)
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Lots of references/intertextuality to/with
French writing (31)
What Franco says (Chapter 3)
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Love story set in the idyllic countryside of
Colombia
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Brief summary – pg. 88
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Mood of
nostalgia
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Ideal landscape
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Humanization of nature
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Reflects the ideal of patriarchal
society, “a vision of hierarchical order and harmony in which love only
has a place as a stage in maturation”
Personajes
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Efraín – el protagonista y narrador
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María – una huérfana adoptada por la familia, amada por
Efraín
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El padre – a landowner, described as very
respectable and a strong authority figure
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La
madre
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Emma,
Felipe, Eloísa, Juan – hermanos/as menores de Efraín
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José –
un amigo más pobre de Efraín
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Tránsito
– hija de José
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Juan
Ángel – un esclavo joven de la familia de Efraín
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Emigdio
– amigo de Efraín de la escuela
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Carlos
– otro amigo de Efraín de la escuela
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Braulio
– el novio de Tránsito (la hija de José)
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Feliciana/Nay
– la madre de Juan Ángel
Temas/Ideas importantes
-
Estilo de escritura
o
Genre: Sentimental novel with elements of
costumbrismo and Spanish romanticism
§ Regionalismo (enfoque en un lugar)
§ Isaacs nos da una “rienda suelta”
para que podamos imaginar (no es neoclásico para nada)
o
Narración
en primera persona
o
No
aprendemos el nombre del narrador (Efraín) hasta la sección IX
o
Enfoque
en descripción en lugar de acción
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Use of foreshadowing / negative symbols
o
The
black bird
o
The death of María’s mother from the same sickness
o
Efraín doesn’t want to finish reading Atala with María and his sisters
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Intertexuality
o
Parallelisms with Pablo y Virginia (1787)
o
Atala
(Capítulo XIII)
o
Carlos analyzes the books that Efraín has –
classics such as Quijote (XXII)
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Costumbrismo (influencia)
o
Describes José’s family in detail, focus on
their customs
o
Lots of description of meals; daily affairs
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Romanticismo (influencia)
o
La importancia de la naturaleza
§ La hacienda, “El Paraíso” – idealización
de la tierra y de la naturaleza
§ Las flores que María y Efraín se regalan
constantemente
§ Descripciones frecuentes de la naturaleza
o
Una
joven que muere virgen (María)
o
La
enfermedad hereditaria / el misterio
o
Un
amor insatisfecho/imposible
o
El
amor puro/virginal
§ Efraín es fiel a María aun después de su
muerte
§ “ese diálogo de inmortal amor”
o
Lo
exótico/exotismo (la historia de Nay/Feliciana y Sinar en Africa, Chaps. XL-XLIII)
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Gender
o
Las
mujeres tienen que quedarse en la casa sin mucha educación formal (en
contraste, la educación de Efraín es muy importante)
o
María
es como una mujer débil pero todavía idealizada (no la quiere porque es fuerte,
sino porque es hermosa y dulce)
o
Idea that men have to be brave (whole affair
with the tiger)
o
Women’s main role is to serve men and make sure
they’re happy
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Clase
social / esclavitud
o
Sobre
los esclavos y su relación con el padre – “Los esclavos, bien vestidos y contentos,
hasta donde es posible estarlo en la servidumbre, eran sumisos y afectuosos
para con su amo… Pude notar que mi padre, sin dejar de ser amo, daba un trato
cariñoso a sus esclavos, se mostraba celoso por la buena conducta de sus
esposas y acariciaba a los niños” (V)
o
Characters such as José, Tránsito, and Braulio
are of a lower social class than Efraín and other characters like Carlos. Yet,
Efraín treats them all with great respect and affection. He also treats the
slaves kindly.
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Religión
o
Sobre
María – “su paso ligero y digno revelaba todo el orgullo, no abatido, de
nuestra raza, y el seductivo regato de la virgen cristiana” (IV)
o
María
– “Tan cristiana y llena de fe, se regocijaba al encontrar bellezas por ella
presentidas en el culto católico” (XIII)
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Raza
o
Sobre
María – “su paso ligero y digno revelaba todo el orgullo, no abatido, de
nuestra raza, y el seductivo regato de la virgen cristiana” (IV)
o
Sobre
un esclavo – “un negrito medio desnudo, pasas monas, y un brazo seco y lleno de
cicatrices,” tiene el brazo así por estar “metiendo cana al trapiche: ¡son tan
brutos éstos!” (XIX)
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Characterization
o
María
is idealized
§
Pictured as weak, but beautiful in her weakness
– “la belleza de su pálidez”
§ Compared with a child – “una sonrisa
semejante a la de una linda niña que se despierta acariciada por los besos de
su madre”
§
María is 15 years old… so she is still
childlike!
o
Efraín’s father is also idealized in some ways –
demands respect but earns it; treats slaves well, strong patriarchal figure
o
Emigdio – the “foil” of Efraín, his anti-hero
Apuntes del texto
I.
Introduction of Efraín (the protagonist), who
leaves his family to study for several years
II.
The return of Efraín to the house; description
of the beauty of the nature
III.
Family dinner
IV.
Efraín thinks about María
V.
Talks about the slaves and a wedding between two
of them; the journey to see the father’s properties; the father’s decision to
send his son to Europe to finish his studies
VI.
The youth (Efraín) and his desire and love for
María
VII.
The father’s history; his first wife, an old
friend of his, Salomán and his conversion to Christianity (from Judaism); the
adoption of María the orphan
VIII. Family
dinner, Efraín is worried about María
IX.
Efraín visits a friend of his, José; they have
lunch with José’s family
X.
Efraín is worried that María doesn’t love him
because she doesn’t leave flowers in his room one day
XI.
Family dinner in which Efraín pretends to be
happy; his brief conversation with María about the flowers, the subtle
recognition of their mutual love
XII.
Efraín’s love for María; the classes that he
gives her and his sister Emma
XIII. The
poem that Efraín and María read together; the foreshadowing that they’re not
going to marry and that instead María’s going to die
XIV. María’s
nervous attack, the same way that used to
happen to her mother; Efraín’s fear and worry for her
XV.
María’s still in bad shape; Efraín goes to look
for a doctor
XVI. María
gets better; Efraín’s parents talk to him about his love for María and they
tell him to be careful because she probably has epilepsy and will most likely
die young, and he should take care not to excite her too much because that can
provoke nervous attacks
XVII. Efraín’s
worries; his conversation with his mother
XVIII. Conversation
between Efraín and Emma; his brief visit with María and the flowers
XIX. Efraín
visits his friends Emigdio and Carlos, they have lunch with his family; Efraín
and Emigdio go to see don Ignacio; they bathe/swim together in the river and
talk about love
XX.
Efraín and María talk, he apologizes for his
changed behavior, oh the love.
XXI. Efraín
visits José and his family, José’s daughter Tránsito is going to get married to
Braulio and they want Efraín as their “padrino.” Efraín and José go hunting
with some friends and they kill a tiger.
XXII. Juan
Ángel is scared that Efraín is going to get mad at him for his cowardice; Efraín’s
affection for the young slave. Carlos and his father Jerónimo visit Efraín’s
house; Carlos is interested in asking for María’s hand. Everyone’s shock to
learn that Efraín was who killed the tiger in the hunt. The conversation
between Carlos and Efraín about studies, etc.
XXIII. Dinner
with Efraín’s family, Carlos, and C’s father Jerónimo. The main concern at the
dinner is that María wanted Efraín to sit near her, but he allowed Carlos to do
so instead. (This is all subtle). After, Carlos plays the guitar and the girls
sing. Memory of the song that Carlos, María, and Emma created together one
peaceful night – “concertaron ellas sus voces inclutas pero vírgenes como la
naturaleza que cantaban” (very romantic
– beautiful nature, purity); some tension between Carlos and Efraín
XXIV. They’re
all going to bed now; María takes the flowers she put in Efraín’s room out
since Carlos is going to sleep there. (Oh,
the flowers… romanticism.)
XXV. The
next morning. Comparison of María’s voice with birdsong. Efraín’s mother talks
with him and says that his father wants María to know that Carlos wants to get
with her – Efraín says it should happen however father wants it to (respect for paternal authority). Then
they talk more and decide to tell María about Carlos’s desire, but also tell
her that the parents would be open to her marrying Efraín. María’s totally
against marrying Carlos, but is happy with the idea that the parents know she
and Efraín have something going on.
XXVI. Carlos,
Braulio, and Efraín go deer hunting. Carlos isn’t doing so hot. Braulio reveals
that he’s tricked Carlos by loading his gun badly since C had made fun of his
dogs (Braulio’s of a lower social class).
XXVII.
Carlos and Efraín are alone, Efraín knows that
Carlos is about to talk to him about María and he is dreading it, but C’s dad
Jerónimo shows up and interrupts. Then Efraín goes to talk with María about
Carlos.
XXVIII. They
all go on a walk; Carlos walks with María – this is when he’ll propose
marriage. María awkwardly rejects him. Later, Efraín’s father teases her about why
she said no, maybe she has some other boyfriend. Carlos and Efraín talk, C has
realized E’s love for M.
XXIX. María asks
Efraín if everything’s cool between him and Carlos. Answer: yes, he knows I’m
into you. M says everything’s gone well because she prayed about it (religion).
XXX. María
cuts Efrain’s father’s hair.
XXXI. José and
Tránsito come to visit Maria and Efrain. Tránsito will marry Braulio in a week.
María is a bit sad, worried she will die from sickness before E returns from
school and they won’t be able to marry. Affection between María and E’s little
brother Juan. María gives E a bit of her hair…
XXXII.
Efraín and his father are going on a trip to see
his other lands. Maria helps them get ready to go. E gives Maria a bit of his
own hair in return. (Wow).
XXXIII. Efrain’s
gone with his father for a week. They receive bad news (not clear) about some
guy’s death.
XXXIV. Efrain and his father return to the ranch.
They find Maria and Emma sitting in a tree; Efrain helps Maria down. Emma tells
about how while Ef was away, they saw a bad
omen of a black bird. (It was at the same time that E and father had
received the letter about whoever’s death). Superstition.
XXXV.
M and Ef talk about how much they love each
other. Worry about M’s illness. M and Ef have both prayed so much about it. Ef
tells M about whoever’s death. The next day they go to town for Transito and
Braulio’s wedding (they’re the padrinos). María rides this wild horse that is
calm for her because it totally loves her (maybe
a bit romantic?). M tells Ef that maybe since that person died, Ef will
have to stay to help his father (instead of going to study) and they won’t be
separated. Tránsito and Braulio’s wedding ceremony.
XXXVI. Ef’s
father is sick; he’s delirious. They call for the doctor. Ef and M watch over
father all night. He is not doing well at all.
XXXVII. Three
days later, Ef’s father is still really sick. He’s delirious again; he doesn’t
recognize Ef. Maria manages to get some medicine in him and the doctor is
hopeful.
XXXVIII. A week and
a half later, dad is finally better! Plans for Ef’s departure to Europe – in a
month. Ef talks to his father about possibly staying instead to help him out,
but his father refuses. Wants him to be further educated.
XXXIX. Ef’s
mother gives him a pep talk; “María will be fine while you’re gone and I’ll
talk about you all the time.” Maria’s sad that Ef will be leaving. The parents
talk to M & Ef – M formally agrees to be Ef’s wife when he gets back from
studying in 4 years.
XL.
Ef goes with the slave Juan Angel to visit the
slave’s mother, Feliciana, who is ill and going to die. Ef records Feliciana’s
story (story within a story, EXOTIC side
of romanticism):
o
The story begins in Africa, where this African tribe
was fighting the British. The African Magmahú was one of the chief generals of
the tribe’s army. The Africans are super brave, but they were at the point of
being defeated by the British due to some cowardly soldiers. Somehow the king
gets the British to make peace. Magmahú falls out of graces with the king, and
wants to get revenge by killing some of the best slaves (I think so anyway),
including this dude Sinar. Magmahú’s only daughter, Nay, discovers this plan
and is like no, because she likes Sinar. There’s some chemistry between Nay and
Sinar. Sinar was with Magmahú at the battle against the British and got wounded
there. Yeah so back to Magmahú’s plan: he actually wants to abandon his patria,
and so he’s going to offer his best slaves (including Sinar) as a sacrifice to
some African god (I think…). Nay’s like NOOOO, and Magmahú gets pissed and
yells at Sinar. But then he forgives them and allows Nay and Sinar to be
together. So then they all go together to some other country (still in Africa).
Sinar and Nay meet some missionary from France, who wants to bury a young
priest who has died. Sinar helps him to bury the body.
XLI.
Feliciana/Nay/Sinar’s story continued:
o
Two weeks have passed since the arrival of the
French missionary, and he and Sinar have been talking a lot. Sinar seems
different and sad and Nay asks him what’s going on. Mr. Missionary has been evangelizing; Sinar: “su
Dios debe ser nuestro Dios”
XLII. Feliciana/Nay/Sinar’s
story continued:
o
Nay and Sinar are baptized (by the French
missionary), and then married. Then some people show up to make battle against
the Africans; Magmahú dies. Sinar and Nay are taken as slaves and then
separated. Nay is taken onto a boat with several other slaves and taken across
the ocean to Latin America.
XLIII. Feliciana/Nay/Sinar’s
story continued:
o
Nay begs the captain to go back to Africa to be
able to find her Sinar; she says that they are both Christians like him – have
pity! The captain agrees and Nay starts learning Spanish. Nay is preggers; she
doesn’t want her child to be a slave. Implication that she is thinking of
getting him baptized when born, then killing him. The captain’s wife tells her
that the child will be a slave, but will be free upon turning 18. Nay gives
birth to a boy. Just after, a young British man with a little girl arrives in
the area –the girl’s mother has died. The British man knows that Nay and her
son are technically free, since the captain brought Nay over after a law
prohibiting the importation of slaves was made. But he doesn’t say anything,
hoping he can help her out. So then, the British man buys Nay and her son from
the captain, and formally gives them their freedom… so, who’s the British man?:
Efrain’s father. Nay’s son: Juan Angel. Nay = Feliciana. Wow that was way more confusing than it needed to be!!!! So then
Nay/Feliciana and Juan Angel went to live with Efrain’s father. Yay.
XLIV. Back in present time. Feliciana/Nay dies
praying to God and saying Sinar’s name. The funeral; Efrain comforts Juan
Angel.
XLV. Efraín’s
father tells the young slave Juan Angel that he is completely free, but he
still has to stay with them a few more years since he’s under age. Juan Angel
says that he wants to go with Ef when he travels to Europe; father says maybe. Ef
and Maria spend lots of time together in garden. She says that there are some
roses freshly planted there, and that if he remembers her while he’s away, the
Virgin Maria will make them bloom a lot, and if not, they won’t bloom at all (religion, superstition somewhat). M and
Ef talk about hunting, she doesn’t like for him to kill the poor deer. (her innocence)
XLVI. M
and Ef… they both take baths (separately. They talk romantically together, as
always… OMG I’M SO BORED!!! Ef’s joke about some mountain women that he always
sees at the river – can’t compare to her.
XLVII.
They’re starting to prepare for Ef’s departure,
M is sad. M is super innocent, feels guilty speaking openly with Ef, even
though Ef is “almost her husband.” Ef takes a ring she always wears and says he’ll
give it back to her on the day they marry; in the meanwhile he gives her a
different ring to wear. Then, they see a black
bird in the sky – negative symbolism/foreshadowing.
XLVIII.
Ef’s father heads off to the city to arrange affairs.
Ef goes to say goodbye to Carlos. Carlos says that he will be the padrino for
Ef and M when Ef gets back from studying. Then Ef sees some other random guy
(Custodio) (that they work with?) who starts talking about some problem he’s
having with some other guy… (I’m so not
into even trying to understand why this portion even matters… so many freakin’
details!!!) I think some dude is in love with the guy’s daughter and that’s
not cool. Ef is going to have lunch with Custodio and his family, but going to
take a dip in the river first.
XLIX. Ef talks
with Custodio’s daughter Salomé about the romantic problems she’s having. Her “boyfriend”
Tiburcio is very jealous so they’re having issues. Ef says he will talk to
Tiburcio. Ef has lunch with Custodio’s family. Then he goes to talk to
Tiburcio.
L.
Ef returns to the ranch where Maria is waiting for
him. Maria was sad all day because she imagined that maybe Ef would never come
back. She’s sad that he will be gone for so long studying. Ef gets a little
annoyed and says she should complain to God, not to someone who’s in the same
difficult position.
LI.
Ef goes to say goodbye to Braulio and Tránsito. They
have lunch. Ef gives Braulio his shotgun as a parting gift.
LII.
Ef returns to the ranch feeling a bit sad. Maria
tells him she has been busy all day praying a lot and ironing his clothes. (it’s a secret that she ironed his clothes –
not appropriate work since it’s a servant’s job… “beneath” her class).
LIII.
The night before Ef has to leave he doesn’t
sleep well. In the morning, he says goodbye to Juan Angel (the young slave) and
the women – his mother, Emma, and María.
LIV.
After two weeks in London, Ef receives letters
from his family, including a letter from Maria with the scent of her perfume
and a pressed flower. Maria says she spends lots of time in his room missing
him. Everyone else misses him too, even his dog.
LV.
For a year, Ef received letters from María twice
a month. The more time that passes, the sadder the letters are. One day,
someone arrives and tells him he needs to go home, and gives him a letter from
Maria in which she tells him that she’s been hiding it, but her illness has
been slowly killing her since he left, and she’s going to die soon, and doesn’t
want to die without telling him goodbye. Basic idea is that if he hadn’t left,
she would have stayed healthy – she was only healthy due to her happiness with
him. Ef leaves London immediately.
LVI.
Ef’s journey back to Colombia. On the way, he
receives word that Maria’s slightly better.
LVII. Ef
continues in his journey. Idea that nature
reflects the tone of the journey – annoying mosquitoes that plague them. (Romantic). The bats in the night – negative symbolism?
LVIII. Continued
journey home. (I’m barely even reading
this at this point; I just want to finish…)
LIX.
Continued journey home. They’re on land now, so Ef
has a bit more control over how fast they can travel – he’s determined to go
quickly.
LX.
Continued journey home. Ef’s happiness as he
enters familiar land of home. Ef arrives and is greeted with the news that
Maria has already died. (WTH???)
LXI.
Ef’s great feeling of guilt for Maria’s death,
he can’t believe it’s true. He falls ill.
LXII. Three
weeks have passed since Ef arrived and he hasn’t been to Maria’s grave yet. Emma
has slowly been telling him everything that Maria wanted him to know. Memory that
Maria was happy with all the roses blooming (that mean that Ef was thinking
about her a lot). After a certain point, Maria knew she would die before Ef
would be able to arrive. She wanted to tell Emma everything she could before
dying, so she could tell Ef. Maria just looked like she was asleep when she
died – innocence. Emma cut off Maria’s
braids for Ef. Ef’s father feels guilty for not having called for Ef sooner.
LXIII. Emma
gives Ef the key for the wardrobe where Maria left him all of her things. Later
he looks at her things and cries. Later Tránsito finds Ef, and he tells her to
go away so she cries and he apologizes; she’s had a baby with Braulio.
LXIV. Ef’s
sad; blah blah blah. He dreams that Maria was his wife, wearing white and
smiling… he wakes up crying out because he remembers reality.
LXV. Ef
goes one last time to Maria’s grave and prays over it. Then he leaves the
ranch, not knowing where he’s going… THE END FINALLYYYY!
