Azul by Rubén Darío
"Azul" by Rubén Darío is a significant literary collection that marks a departure from traditional Spanish literature, showcasing a blend of stories and poems that reflect new themes and styles. Unlike earlier works that often carried moral lessons or heroic narratives, "Azul" explores a more worldly and sensual tone, frequently set against exotic backdrops like Paris. The collection is notable for its rich imagery and the portrayal of mythic characters such as nymphs and fairies, which serve as symbols within the text. Darío's fascination with the artist's struggle for recognition in a bourgeois society is evident, particularly in stories like "El rey burgués" and "El pájaro azul," where the poet faces societal rejection. The collection also introduces innovative literary techniques, including rhythm and repetition, which enhance its musical quality. Additionally, Darío's incorporation of the Alexandrine sonnet and influences from French poetry further enriches the work. Overall, "Azul" dazzles readers with its artistic expression and serves as a pivotal moment in the evolution of Spanish literature.
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Azul by Rubén Darío
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of World Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1888 (partial English translation in Cuentos y poesías/Stories and Poems: A Dual Language Book, 2002)
Type of work: Short stories and poems
The Work
Azul, a collection containing more stories than poems, demonstrates the new style and themes that Darío initiates in Spanish. Unlike conventional Spanish literature to this date, these works carry no moral purpose, describe no feats of heroism, and do not use any clichéd Spanish themes. The stories adopt a new worldly-wise tone, often suggesting Paris or some other place of mystery or intrigue. They evoke an erotic, sensual mood, create vivid, ethereal images, and describe the artist and the unappreciated role of art in a bourgeois society. They describe nymphs, fairies, and other characters that become symbolic or mythic.
Some of the stories Darío considered prose poems used the literary techniques of rhythm and repetition to achieve the musicality characteristic of his work. He reflects the inspiration of William Shakespeare in the story “El velo de la reina Mab” (“The Veil of Queen Mab”). Two stories, “El rey burgués” (“The Bourgeois King”) and “El pájaro azul” (“The Blue Parrot”), describe how a poet suffers for art. Ostracized by society in the first story and by his father in the second, the poet is cast off and forgotten
The poems introduce the Alexandrine sonnet in “Caupolicán” and further imitate French poetry in free verse, line length, and syntax. In “Venus,” the poet addresses the planet as a symbol of art and beauty and languishes in its silent response to his attraction. The collection dazzles with artistry.
Bibliography
Applebaum, Stanley, ed. and trans. Introduction to Cuentos y poesias/Stories and Poems: A Dual Language Book, by Rubén Darío. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover, 2002.
Derusha, Will, and Alberto Acereda, eds. Introduction to Songs of Life and Hope/Cantos de vida y esperanza, by Rubén Darío. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 2004.
Imbert, Enrique Anderson. “Rubén Darío.” Translated by Peter Latson. In Latin American Writers. Vol. 1 in The Scribner’s Writers Series. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1989.
Jrade, Cathy L. “Socio-Political Concerns in the Poetry of Rubén Darío.” The Latin American Literary Review 18, no. 36 (1990): 36-49.
Pym, Anthony, “Strategies of the Frontier in Spanish-American Modernismo.” Comparative Literature 44, no. 2 (Spring, 1992): 161-173.
Stavans, Ilan, ed. Introduction to Rubén Darío: Selected Writings. New York: Penguin Books, 2005.