The Gaucho Martín Fierro: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Gaucho Martín Fierro" is a narrative poem that explores the life and struggles of the gaucho, particularly through its central character, Martín Fierro. As a symbol of the gaucho spirit, Martín Fierro navigates a harsh world filled with injustice, forced military service, and personal loss. His experiences highlight the challenges faced by gauchos, including the corrupt authorities that disrupt their lives. The character Cruz, a fellow gaucho, embodies resilience and solidarity, supporting Martín in times of peril while sharing similar hardships.
The poem also delves into the lives of Martín's sons, each grappling with their own adversities, from poverty and false accusations to unrequited love. Their stories reflect the broader themes of resilience and the pursuit of dignity amidst oppression. The contrasting figures of Don Vizcacha, a cowardly and unscrupulous character, and Picardia, who ultimately seeks honor, underscore the moral complexities within the narrative. Through their tales, "The Gaucho Martín Fierro" serves as a poignant exploration of freedom, honor, and the enduring spirit of those marginalized by society.
The Gaucho Martín Fierro: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: José Hernández
First published: part 1, El gaucho Martín Fierro, 1872; part 2, La vuelta de Martín Fierro, 1879 (English translation, 1935)
Genre: Poetry
Locale: Argentina
Plot: Adventure
Time: Nineteenth century
Martín Fierro (mahr-TEEN FYEH-rroh), the central character. He sings of his misfortunes and adventures on the Argentine pampa (open plain), where he can live by his skills and enjoy nature's beauty. Born to sing, he celebrates the life and character of the gaucho, whom he typifies. He is fearless and quick in a fight, and he is truthful in speech. His greatest joy is to live free. The life of the gaucho is not easy. Fate and corrupt officials are responsible for the many injustices he and his kind have suffered. His own misfortunes began when a judge took him from his wife and children, sending him away to the army to fight the Indians. Forced to perform hard labor without pay and treated brutally by those in charge, he deserts after two years, returning home to find his family and possessions gone. He soon kills a black man in a barroom brawl, then a drunken bully. With his new companion, Cruz, he sets out for the wildlands, breaking his guitar as a final gesture.
Cruz (crewz), who, with several other policemen, attempts to arrest Martín for murder. Admiring Martín's bravery, Cruz helps him escape. A gaucho himself, he too has endured many hardships with an unbroken spirit. Like Martín, he enjoys the freedom of the outlaw life and is convinced that the gaucho is persecuted and doomed to suffer unremitting hardships. It is better, he says at the end, to wander free in the highlands.
Martín Fierro, whose fortunes have not improved; his songs sustain him. Now he tells of his life among the Indians, his friend Cruz with him. Although the Indians are skilled hunters and fighters, they are lazy, ruthless, and brutal. They treat women and children with savage cruelty. Gallantly, Martín rescues a woman in the desert, killing the Indian who has beaten her and slaughtered her infant. When he meets two of his sons after ten years away from them, he displays a fatherly regard and gives them advice that reflects his own principles: be a good friend; hold firm to faith in God; be good to the poor and aged; do not look for trouble; be truthful, lawful, and hardworking; treat women with respect; and sing always from the heart. He is proudest of his minstrel skills and wit, which he displays in a singing match with a black man, who turns out to be the brother of the black man he killed. A fight is averted—perhaps age and experience have tempered his fiery spirit. The wildlands beckon again, so he bids his companion farewell and goes on his separate way.
Cruz, who lives with Martín in captivity for two hard years among the Indians. His humanity is evident in his tending of an Indian chief stricken with smallpox. This charitable act costs Cruz his life, for he contracts smallpox himself and dies.
The oldest son of Martín Fierro, who tells Martín of his childhood spent in extreme poverty and of his years in prison, falsely accused of murder. Like his father, he remains strong in spirit and independent, going his separate way with his father's advice.
The second son of Martín Fierro, who had his inheritance taken away by a crooked judge. The judge also placed him in the care of a scoundrel of a tutor, who cruelly mistreated him. The son does not abandon him as the old rascal is dying. Left homeless and poor, he falls for a widow, who gives him a hard lesson in unrequited love before he is shipped off to the army. After his sad tale is told, he sets off on his own with a new name.
Don Vizcacha (veez-KAH-chah), a mangy, drunken, thieving, cowardly wife-murderer who is put in charge of the second son. His advice on how to survive in a ruthless world contrasts sharply with Martín's: Be selfish, sly, and suspicious of everyone, and keep the knife ready. His wickedness catches up with him at last as, raving and cursing God, he expires.
Picardia (pee-KAHR-dee-ah), whose life has been one of gambling and cheating. When he learned that he is Cruz's son, he mended his ways in honor of his father and joined the army. In the end, he goes his separate way with a new name and a better understanding of honor and virtue.