Defining Magic Realism and Literary Influence: Poe to Cortázar
Literary Definitions: Dreams, Legends, and Poetry
Who defined legends and dreams, perhaps related to Guatemalan stories or poetry? Paul Valéry defined them. These capacities are inherent because they capture the magic and poetry, legendary and indigenous to every area and its legends.
Edgar Allan Poe's Influence on Horacio Quiroga
What tales does Poe reveal in the presence of Quiroga?
The Feather Pillow and Tales of Terror
The influence of Poe's reading on Horacio Quiroga is remarkable. Their tales of terror are similar to the American author's style, leading Quiroga to be called the "Latin Poe."
Other works by Poe that connect with Quiroga include The Cask of Amontillado, which is similar to Quiroga's The Other Crime.
Quiroga was described as a "perfect storyteller": "create another self, like God himself." Regarding influence, it is noted: "As resistant to imitate, mimic, or surpass, his influence is strong. Surpass it and make it yours."
Magic Realism: Synthesis of Fundamental Elements
Magic Realism is a synthesis of three fundamental elements:
- The autochthonous American: Mestizaje (racial and cultural mixing), ancestral magic, and the idiosyncrasy of the peoples of the area.
- Past avant-garde influences: Literature introduced into the imagination, the oneiric, and the subconscious.
- The cosmopolitan intellectuals: Those who, having known some exterior reality, use their capacity to analyze the socio-political and cultural perspective of the land.
Miguel Ángel Asturias is considered a pioneer (perhaps due to his Mestizo nature). From there, we see authors like Alejo Carpentier and Gabriel García Márquez.
Magic Realism was subject to critical debate by Franz Roh, who, to define Post-Expressionist art, had to resort to the concept of Magic Realism.
Mythological References in "The Veil of the Mab Queen"
The mythological references in "The Veil of the Mab Queen" relate to Shakespearean mythology (English mythology). Mab is the Queen of Dreams. Shakespeare refers to her in Act 1, Scene 4 of Romeo and Juliet.
Symbolism of the House in Latin American Literature
The house often serves as a central symbol of presence and narrative structure in literature:
The Golden Hall (Mujica Lainez)
In the work of Manuel Mujica Lainez, the house is where all the action develops, and the role of each room is described meticulously. The hall receives the gold.
House Taken Over (Julio Cortázar)
The distribution of the house structures the story. The oak door is a symbolic element of the narrative. The physical and spiritual softening of the home begins, highlighting its importance.
Letter to a Young Lady in Paris (Julio Cortázar)
The protagonist is obsessed with preserving the house exactly as he found it, and the house itself becomes the absolute star of the story.