Miguel Hernández: Life, Death, and Poetry's Tragic Beauty

The Life and Death in the Poetry of Miguel Hernández

Many have noted the relationship between biography and lyrical creation. The life of Miguel Hernández is a prime example: passions, jail, and death of a poet.

The work of Miguel Hernández is like a life: start-ups, youthful drive, and personal affirmation that leads to accepting life as punishment.

Early Poems: Vitality and Optimism

From the first poems to "The Lightning That Never Stops," there's a conscious disregard, carefree vitalism, and natural optimism. His life goes one way, and his work another.

Nature and Death

Many poems pay homage to nature: plants, rocks, bugs, etc., from the orchards of Orihuela. Miguel picks up things as if they were alive; death does not diminish the beauty of the sunset.

Literary Shift

Something appears in the works prior to "The Lightning That Never Stops," which is more vivid. When Miguel confronts the death of people close to him, the war turns into grief, and nature recedes, giving way to the melancholy of death that floods the poet with grief.

Life and Death Conjoined

Miguel Hernández conjoined life and death. His existence is a painful affair with a tragic ending. In his production, life and death go hand in hand.

Love as Tragic Fate

In "The Lightning That Never Stops," he takes the concept of love as man's tragic fate.

Struggle for Freedom

"Man Lurks" offers everything on behalf of freedom: his eyes, hands, feet, etc. The constant struggle characterized the poet.

Sexual Network

Life and death are part of a sexual network where death comes when love is denied to the poet.

Death of a Friend

With the death of his friend Ramón Sijé, his verses are full of rage and pain.

Death as a Theme

Death appears as a major theme in Miguel Hernández, as in Quevedo.

Wounds and Instruments

The wounds are caused by instruments: lightning, swords, horns, etc.

Spiritual Wounds

There are situations that produce spiritual wounds: grief, wreck, crying, etc.

The Deceased Child

The theme of the deceased child is a constant penalty.

Bitter Vision

In "Bleeding Stalks," his intimacy is peopled with a bitter vision with so many injuries, deaths, and the war that has been declared between the two Spains. The poet's enthusiasm disappears and is tempered with pain.

Solitude and Loss

In prison, he composes ballads, songbook, and absences when he was condemned to death, his son has died, and solitude floods him, but most of all, love and freedom remain.