María (novel)
Encyclopedia
María is a novel written by Colombia
n writer Jorge Isaacs
between 1864 and 1867. It is a costumbrist novel representative of the Spanish
romantic
movement. It may be considered a precursor of the criollist novel of the 1920s and 1930s in Latin America
.
Despite being Isaacs' only novel, María is considered one of the most important works of 19th century Spanish American literature. Alfonso M. Escudero characterized it as the greatest Spanish-language romantic novel. The romantic style of the novel has been compared to the one of Chateaubriand's Atala
. Notable are the description of the landscape and the artistic style of the prose.
The novel has several autobiographical
elements, such as both main characters being natives of Valle del Cauca, or Efraín's departure to Bogotá
to pursue his studies. It has been claimed that Maria herself is based, at least in part, upon a cousin of the author. The hacienda
"El Paraíso", owned by Isaacs' family, also figures as an important location throughout the novel; it is currently preserved as a museum.
The story narrates the idyllic and tragic love between María and her cousin Efraín, both natives of Valle del Cauca. In the middle of a romantic and bucolic landscape, the young characters fall in love with each other but circumstances prevent the full realization of their love. The first hurdle is Efraín's departure for six years to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, in order to pursue his high school education. After Efraín returns to Valle del Cauca the couple is able to live together, albeit for only three months, before he is forced to travel to London
in order to study medicine. Two years later Efraín returns to Colombia to find that María has died of illness. Heart-broken, Efraín decides to leave Cauca definitely, this time without a fixed destination.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n writer Jorge Isaacs
Jorge Isaacs
Jorge Isaacs Ferrer was a Colombian writer, politician and soldier. His only novel, María, became one of the most notable works of the Romantic movement in Spanish literature....
between 1864 and 1867. It is a costumbrist novel representative of the Spanish
Spanish literature
Spanish literature generally refers to literature written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the state of Spain...
romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
movement. It may be considered a precursor of the criollist novel of the 1920s and 1930s in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Despite being Isaacs' only novel, María is considered one of the most important works of 19th century Spanish American literature. Alfonso M. Escudero characterized it as the greatest Spanish-language romantic novel. The romantic style of the novel has been compared to the one of Chateaubriand's Atala
Atala
Atala may refer to:* Atala , an Italian manufacturer of bicycles* 152 Atala, an asteroid.* Eumaeus atala, a species of butterfly.* Atala , a novella by François-René de Chateaubriand...
. Notable are the description of the landscape and the artistic style of the prose.
The novel has several autobiographical
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
elements, such as both main characters being natives of Valle del Cauca, or Efraín's departure to Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
to pursue his studies. It has been claimed that Maria herself is based, at least in part, upon a cousin of the author. The hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
"El Paraíso", owned by Isaacs' family, also figures as an important location throughout the novel; it is currently preserved as a museum.
The story narrates the idyllic and tragic love between María and her cousin Efraín, both natives of Valle del Cauca. In the middle of a romantic and bucolic landscape, the young characters fall in love with each other but circumstances prevent the full realization of their love. The first hurdle is Efraín's departure for six years to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, in order to pursue his high school education. After Efraín returns to Valle del Cauca the couple is able to live together, albeit for only three months, before he is forced to travel to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in order to study medicine. Two years later Efraín returns to Colombia to find that María has died of illness. Heart-broken, Efraín decides to leave Cauca definitely, this time without a fixed destination.