Love in Miguel Hernández’ Poetry: An Analysis
Love in the Poetry of Miguel Hernández
As we have seen in the poems of this Orihuela writer, the poet’s work is strongly linked to his life stages. We can divide Miguel Hernández’s life into several periods, which allows us to distinguish various phases in his loving relationships and his conception of love. These developments are reflected in his poetry; the same symbol of love can mean different things at different stages of his life.
Early Love: Platonic Idealism and Religious Influence
Raised in a rural area, within a traditional family, Miguel Hernández initially conceived love as a respectful feeling towards the beloved. His early poems reflect a love of nature more than a focus on the beloved. We see a young poet writing with cheerfulness and freshness. His early work shows a love influenced by 19th-century poets like Zorrilla or Espronceda, almost Platonic in nature. However, his baroque poetry is also full of sexual connotations, veiled by a mysticism stemming from his religious upbringing. This mysticism is symbolized by fruit similes used to refer to sex. His ascetic Christianity made him view pleasure-seeking with suspicion and distrust, encouraging him to repress his impulses. This modesty and chastity are symbolized by winter, contrasting with the spring representing sexuality, impurity, and temptation. Perito en lunas is the most significant book from this period, showcasing these metaphors.
Madrid and the Transformation of Love
El rayo que no cesa reflects the next stage, written in Madrid. Here, Hernández’s mentality and conception of love changed completely, influenced by Madrilenian poets and French Surrealism (discovered through the painter Maruja Mallo). This book reveals the anguish and grief caused by the poet’s disillusionment with his earlier Platonic ideals. His ideal now is to fully embrace physical passion. The poetry becomes an expression of sexual dissatisfaction, sadness, and loneliness.
Relationships and Ruptures
Josephina Manresa, his wife, whom he met in 1932, and their relationship began in 1933. Hernández’s relationship with her is explored in the poem “You’re dying of caste and simple.” Their courtship was delicate, culminating in their marriage in 1935. During a period of separation from Josefina, Miguel pursued Mary Cegarra, but she was indifferent to him. There are also suggestions of a relationship with Maruja Mallo, mentioned in some poems.
Metaphors of Love
Hernández used the sonnet, with its structure and metrics, to express these feelings. He employed natural symbols, with the ray (lightning bolt) being predominant. Lightning represents untapped erotic energy and virility; “the lightning that never stops” symbolizes unhappy, unrequited love. Other metaphors include the bull (virility and anxiety), white (feminine beauty), and the womb (erotic desire).
Mature Love: Family and Generosity
After a period of free love, Miguel returned to Josefina. The lightning is replaced by the gentler winds of mature love. In his later works, love is tender and generous, a stark contrast to the fascism he opposed.
Later Works and Themes
In his final works, such as Romancero gitano and Canciones y ausencias, love remains central, but it is no longer solely physical passion or mystical devotion. It is a mature, deep, generous, and sincere love for his wife and children, reflecting family love and devotion. The womb now symbolizes the importance of nurturing and protecting offspring.