Miguel Hernandez: Poetry and Social-Political Commitment
Early Works and the Impact of the Civil War
Miguel Hernandez’s poetry is inseparable from his social and political commitment. The Spanish Civil War significantly impacted his development as a poet. While he was mastering his craft in works like The Lightning that Never Stops, the war introduced him to the realities of oppression, exploitation, and the struggles of the poor. His early works, such as Perito en Lunas and The Lightning that Never Stops, primarily focused on literary and romantic themes, with little to no social commentary.
The Emergence of Social Commitment: Wind of the People
When the Civil War erupted, Hernandez, driven by loyalty to his working-class roots, joined the Republican cause. His commitment found its voice in Wind of the People (1937). This collection features a more direct and accessible style, employing traditional forms like ballads and octosyllabic verse to inspire soldiers and the masses. Some poems, like “Laborer,” “Passion,” and “Rosario, Bomber,” served as propaganda, prioritizing emotional impact over literary finesse. However, the book’s core strength lies in Hernandez’s profound sense of solidarity with the people. He saw his poetry as a tool for the cause, merging his voice with the collective voice of the oppressed. Poems like “Winds of the People” and “The Child Yuntero” vividly depict rural poverty, aiming to ignite revolutionary spirit and expose the injustice faced by the working class.
Hernandez’s commitment to a future of equality and peace for the poor shines through in Wind of the People. His unique perspective, blending the struggles of peasants with the power of nature, elevates the collection to an epic level.
War’s Harsh Realities: The Man Stalks
The Man Stalks, also a war-themed collection, takes a darker turn compared to Wind of the People. The epic and hopeful tone gives way to a pessimistic portrayal of war’s brutal consequences: death, suffering, hunger, and cruelty. The weariness of a prolonged conflict permeates the poems.
Hernandez confronts the harsh realities faced by soldiers, such as the biting cold in “The Soldier and the Snow” and the pain of defeat in “The Train of Wounded.” While the fighting spirit persists in poems like “Hunger,” which evokes the origins of socialist and communist revolutions, there’s also a violent streak in poems like “Old Men,” where the enemy is dehumanized. Hernandez’s 1937 trip to the USSR inspired the poem “Russia,” praising the achievements of the communist revolution.
Return to Intimacy: Song and Ballad of Absences
In Song and Ballad of Absences, Hernandez shifts back towards personal themes, attenuating his overt social and political engagement. Imprisoned after the Republican defeat in 1939, he faced the consequences of his commitment. This collection contains subtle references to war from a human perspective, such as in “Sorry Wars” and “War,” where the struggle against death overshadows love. His commitment now centers on his son, his hopes for the future embodied in the child, and his wife, the guardian of that future in his absence.