Antonio Machado's Duero Poem: Analysis of Landscape and Castile

Antonio Machado: Life and Literary Context

The poet Antonio Machado was born in Seville, the Andalusian capital, in 1875. He studied in Madrid at the Institución Libre de Enseñanza (Free Institution of Education), where he developed a deep appreciation for nature and Spanish traditions. While in Paris, he encountered important Symbolist poets who significantly influenced his style.

Upon his return to Spain, Machado taught at an institute in Soria, where he met and fell in love with Leonor Izquierdo. Tragically, she died after only three years of marriage. The poet, deeply affected, left Soria and his memories behind, moving to Baeza (Jaén). Later, he alternated between Segovia and Madrid until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. A staunch advocate of the Republic, Machado was forced to leave Spain after Franco's victory, dying in the French village of Collioure in 1939, having crossed the border alongside many Spanish exiles.

Analysis of the Poem from Soledades

The text under discussion is a poem included in Machado's collection, Soledades (Solitudes). The central theme is the description of the landscape surrounding the Duero River. Machado describes the environment using both realistic elements and his own subjective feelings to interpret the setting.

Thematic Focus: The Duero River Landscape

The poem begins with a reference to the bell tower, a focal point for the people of Soria, as it is the tallest structure in the town. The poet notes a stork circling the top of the steeple. The narrative then explains the passage of time, moving from the bleakness of winter toward the vibrancy of spring. The description of the spring landscape is presented from the poet's personal perspective. The poem concludes with a heartfelt invocation of Spain as a sweet and beautiful land.

Structure, Meter, and Literary Devices

The poem is structured according to a classical scheme: introduction, development (denouement), and conclusion.

• Introduction: Includes the first three verses, introducing the theme by describing the belfry and the stork.
• Development: Spans from verse three to verse nineteen, describing various sights and the change of seasons.
• Conclusion: Features a powerful call to Spain: “Beautiful land of Spain.”

Metric and Rhyme Scheme

The meter of this poem is complex, composed of irregular lines. Lines of eight syllables and sixteen syllables predominate and alternate throughout the poem; a fifteen-syllable verse is also present. The rhyme of the poem is consonant. The rhyme scheme is noted as: A, A, B, B, C, C, d, e, d, e, F, F, G, G, H, M, i, j, j, i.

Figurative Language

The poem utilizes numerous adjectives and literary devices, such as personification, exemplified by the line: “The Duero, runs smooth and silent, softly,” which attributes human qualities (smoothness, silence) to the river.

To conclude this review, the poem, often associated with the banks of the Duero, sees the author begin by describing the landscape of Soria while projecting his own feelings onto it. Initially, the author is distant and sad, reflecting the winter season. He then finds encouragement, reflected in the brightening landscape of spring. Finally, he expresses great joy in celebrating Spain as a beautiful land.

Further Critical Analysis

1. Central Theme: Castile and its People

The main theme is Castile, referring both to its past glory and its present state. The poem also reflects upon its people when the author speaks of its “old bereaved.”

2. Landscape Description vs. Critical Reflection

The verses dedicated to landscape description begin with “Media in July” and continue through “Like your long rivers, of Castile, to the sea.” The description is later resumed in the verse: “The sun is declining. In the city distance.”

The verses dedicated to critical reflection begin with “Castilla miserable, dominating yesterday” and continue to the verse “Castilla miserable, yesterday wrapped in rags as ignorant contempt.”

3. Critique of Past Glory and Present Decline

The poem itself is a return to the past, recounting the exploits of the people who once lived there—warriors who are now reduced to nothing. The author criticizes the fact that Castile is no longer anything compared to all that it once was. This reduction of Castile to nothingness is what the author laments.

4. Detailed Metric Analysis

The poem is also analyzed as isometric, featuring consonant rhymes paired two by two. It is considered a work of great art, with all lines consisting of 14 syllables.