Spanish Literature: Critical Appraisals
Critical Appraisal of the Gypsy Ballads by Federico Garcia Lorca
Context and Themes
Composed between 1924 and 1927, the Gypsy Ballads consist of 18 ballads that mark a renewal of the romance genre. Lorca revitalizes the narrative tradition of the 19th century (seen in authors like Zorrilla) after the lyricism that dominated the Golden Age and Modernism. He masterfully fuses narrative and lyrical elements while incorporating dramatic aspects, achieving a perfect synthesis. Influenced by his studies of Góngora, Lorca’s imagery and metaphors are rich and unique.
The gypsy, situated in the Andalusian landscape, serves as the central figure. Lorca uses the Roma people to represent the persecuted, constantly facing the Civil Guard, a negative force symbolizing power and civilization’s oppression of freedom, instinct, and the natural world embodied by the gypsy. The ballads revolve around two major literary themes: love and death, which are often intertwined and inseparable.
Structure and Style
The Gypsy Ballads are structured in two parts. The first fifteen romances explore themes of love and death, while the remaining three are historical romances. Lorca masterfully blends love and death, blurring the lines between these powerful forces.
Since its publication, the brilliance of Lorca’s metaphors has garnered significant attention. Many are pure metaphors, omitting the real plane entirely, creating a constant interplay between the real and metaphorical worlds. This concentration effect is also evident in his use of metonymy.
Symbolism plays a crucial role in the book, with recurring motifs like the moon, stars, green sea, and the horse. These symbols transcend the concrete, imbuing the content with universal significance. While recurring themes exist, their interpretation depends heavily on the context.
Conclusion
Lorca’s intention is to create a poetic representation of Andalusia, focusing on what he considers elegant and distinctive: the gypsy. This world is characterized by pain (symbolized by the color black) and closely linked to the theme of frustration and dissatisfaction. The gypsy woman, in particular, symbolizes death as a consequence of erotic frustration.
Critical Appraisal of Historia de una escalera by Buero Vallejo
Post-Civil War Context
Premiered in 1949 during Franco’s dictatorship, Historia de una escalera is Antonio Buero Vallejo’s first play. It emerged during a period dominated by social realist drama in the Spanish theater scene, a trend that persisted for several decades in the latter half of the 20th century. This work, belonging to Buero Vallejo’s existential phase, stands in stark contrast to the prevailing artistic climate.
It avoids the tropes of light comedy or farcical depictions of the bourgeoisie. Instead, it portrays the impoverished material and spiritual lives of working-class families in a typical neighborhood. While adopting a tone of social commentary, it steers clear of traditional farce. It effectively depicts the poverty and lack of opportunities that trap a community in a bleak and hopeless existence.
Plot and Characters
Historia de una escalera chronicles the lives of residents in an apartment building over thirty years. The narrative centers on Carmina and Fernando, young lovers with ambitious dreams for the future (symbolized by Buero’s use of a spilled pitcher of milk). However, they are ultimately defeated by the stagnation and limitations of their environment. As time passes, they marry others out of convenience and become trapped in the monotonous cycle of life within the building, abandoning their dreams of a brighter future.
In the final act, their children, also named Carmina and Fernando, echo their parents’ aspirations with even greater intensity, despite the opposition and disillusionment of their failed parents. The play’s simple and direct language enhances the realism of the depicted environments and contributed to its success among a wider audience than was typical for commercial theater at the time.
Form and Significance
Formally, the play adheres to the classical canons of realist drama, skillfully incorporating elements of Benavente’s comedy and farce. However, these elements contribute to a larger existential drama that portrays the utter frustration of a community. In the evolution of Spanish theater, Historia de una escalera represents a step back from the aesthetic achievements of Valle-Inclán and Lorca, whose works surpassed the early 20th-century realism of manners.
Its historical importance lies in its release date and its impact on the limited Spanish theater scene of its time. It marked a shift in theatrical trends and paved the way for new forms of expression.