Miguel Hernandez: Recurring Images and Symbols in His Poetry
Recurring Images and Symbols in Miguel Hernandez’s Poetry
In the works of Miguel Hernandez, certain images and symbols recur and evolve. His poetic world is shaped by his evolving conception of the poem and its subject. The intensity and significance of these images and symbols vary, even when the same words are used, depending on the poet’s stage of development. Two primary sources feed Hernandez’s symbolism: nature, connecting to the terrestrial, and the cosmos.
The Moon
The moon is a central motif in Hernandez’s poetic universe, particularly in his early poetry focused on nature. Throughout his literary career, this connection between meaning and nature persists. The moon serves as an immediate and real presence, a star that is viewed innocently. In “Expert in Moon,” the moon becomes the center of their universe. The poet presents himself as an expert in two aspects: the natural and the artistic.
The moon’s cycles of change symbolize the poet’s own fullness, linking lunar phases with stages of poetry.
The Ray
In Hernandez’s later work, images of knives, daggers, and rays frequently appear. The denotative meaning of “ray” encompasses both a ray of light and a lightning storm. These ideas give rise to connotative values.
In a loving context, lightning emerges as a symbol of distress, representing unfulfilled desire.
The ray can also represent threat and curse (negative significance) or force and power (positive significance). Ultimately, the ray evokes both admiration and fear.
The Bull
The bull is a recurring pattern in Hernandez’s work. In his early compositions, the bull is identified with death. In the context of love, it has two interpretations:
- The released bull symbolizes virility and the masculinity of natural instincts.
- The bull in the arena symbolizes the doom of suffering and death.
The Wind
During the war period, the wind becomes a symbol of social and political commitment to the most hopeless. Its meanings evolve over time. Initially, it refers to an atmospheric phenomenon. In religious poetry, it becomes a mystic and purifying force. It also represents the desired woman, the strength of the people, and, negatively, the wind of hatred and resentment.
The Earth
The earth symbolizes general nature and is often depicted as a mother. In relation to man, the earth is both the birthplace and the tomb. The earth represents:
- Nature and the world of work.
- In the context of love, the vitality of love.
- In the context of history, the earth symbolizes germination even amidst destruction.
Light and Shade
In Hernandez’s final poems, the symbols of light and shadow represent life and death, hope and frustration.
While divine light is transformed in contrasting uses of light and shadow in love, with shadow often dominating, Hernandez concludes his work with verses reaffirming the victory of light over darkness. He overcomes discouragement, and hope triumphs in the struggle.