Angel Gonzalez: Analysis of Poetic Works and Themes
The Poetic Career of Angel Gonzalez
The Gonzalez’s poetic career began with the book Rough World. In this book, the poet shows the individual as a parallel path that follows the story. These two concepts of individualism and community are closely linked with the purpose that the poet makes known to himself while learning to understand others. The poems are marked by pessimism, and even social poetry does not appear clearly.
With Conviction, Without Hope
The second book he writes is With Conviction, Without Hope. The title poses the dichotomy that prevailed thematically throughout his work. This mention of hopelessness manifests the poet’s concern about their future, but the conviction is related to the poet’s belief that the arrival of a more favorable time is possible. This book begins to use one of the most important resources of Gonzalez, which is irony.
Elementary Grades
The third book is Elementary Grades. The title of this collection of poems evokes the image of the old postwar books Gonzalez knew well. Thus, the poet warns us of the didactic intention, but this intention is opposed to what is mentioned in the title, i.e., the traditional teaching of that period, as the pursued effect is to give a new effect that textbooks produce for a humorous effect or parody.
Word on Word
Word on Word contains mainly love poems.
Treaty of Planning
With this collection of poems, the author reflects on the poets in the 60s who wrote testimonial or social verse poetry. The critical attitude of the poet against social injustice and historical displays will increase, and more than ever, a provision in solidarity with the disadvantaged.
Brief Annotations for a Biography
This collection of poems, Brief Annotations for a Biography, represents a change of registration in Angel Gonzalez. The few poems that form it are the product of a personal crisis undergoing a harsh self-criticism; there is also room for humor, irony, and absurdity. He also resorts to experimentation.
Narrative Procedures
In this collection of poetry, the desire for experimenting with the previous collection of poems intensifies. We find a characteristic prevalent in Gonzalez’s latest poetry: parodying traditional literary formulas.
Sample Some Narrative Procedures
This book meets the need of Gonzalez to find a way to multiply his poetic voice and so avoid becoming monotonous. He gets away from himself through heteronyms. However, the difference between the use that other poets have made of this resource and Gonzalez is to give a much more consistent, festive, and fun approach.
Pro Semes or Less
This collection of poems is a large display of items that fit within the parody, literary tributes, poetics, the travel notes, and a painful picture of time for which the poet adopts an elegiac tone.
Deixis in Ghost
Again, under the title Deixis in Ghost, the author returns to personal poetry. The painful sensation of time, nostalgia, and self-criticism that extend across these verses shows us the individual in a tough personal crisis.
Fall and Other Lights
In this poetic collection of poems, some issues remain that were already present in previous ones of the poet, such as the battle that keeps the memory against the passage of time, love, and poetry, whose exercise is also necessary to address the flow of time. There is also an homage to one of his generation, Rodriguez. Additionally, in this collection of poems, we find a reference to authors who influenced him much, such as Pedro Salinas Gonzalez and Juan Ramon Jimenez.
Nothing Serious
In this latest collection of poems, the author recognizes death and confronts her with resignation. The title is an example of irony, which is the resource that Gonzalez uses to mask his feelings.