Rosalía de Castro: Poetry and Literary Legacy

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Follas Novas (1880): Second Book of Poems

This subject forms several different procedures and meaningful perspectives. The work stands out for its meter, its themes, and its structure.

Metrical Innovation and Themes

• Meter: Free verse is very innovative, since the author experiments with new metric combinations that anticipate the renovation carried out by the modernists years later.
• Themes: It is very often about two major themes developed in free verse: Portuguese society and the existential "I" of the author. It is a combination of intimate and social poetry, but one could also speak of a small group similar to the popular poetry of Cantares Gallegos.

The Five Parts of the Book

1. Part One: Vaguedades (Vagueness): Functions as a poetic prologue. The 20 songs that make up this part are linked to the inner self of the author.
2. Part Two: Do íntimo (To Oneself): Also linked with the inner self of the poet, as glimpsed in the title. The subjects involved in the poems diversify, showing the otherness of Rosalía de Castro.
3. Part Three: Varia: Features multiple realities, both in attitudes and the problems shown. Several different lyrical subjects appear apart from the self of the poet.
4. Part Four: Da terra (From the Earth): At this point, the focus remains on both the peasant woman and the Portuguese context.
5. Part Five: As viúvas dos vivos e as viúvas dos mortos: These poems focus on social classes, specifically the "widows of the living and the widows of the dead."

Cantares Gallegos (1863): First Book of Poems

Metrics and Social Themes

Metrics: This work combines popular forms of art with a smaller, more innovative metric regarding rhythm and accent distribution.

Themes: One primary theme is social causes. This is where the author sings about the habits of real people, expressing the injustice and marginalization they face. At the same time, she defends a language despised over the centuries. Themes also appear such as womanhood, nature, and solitude.

Infrastructure and Narrative Voice

The structure begins with an opening poem where a girl is asked to sing. In the final poem, the girl fulfills what was requested. In the rest of the poems, the girl disappears and gives voice to multiple characters, usually of a popular nature.