I'm Going to Sleep

Similar to “Sorrow,” “I’m Going to Sleep” uses nature imagery, has a somber tone, and discusses a man. The poem seems to be a farewell poem, discussing death. The natural imagery of the line, “make the sheets of the earth ready for me,” seems to represent a burial with “the sheets of the earth” representing a grave. The imagery of the light represents the poet’s life. By having the nurse turn the light down a little, her life is nearing an end. The last stanza discusses a man. The line, “tell him I have gone…” reiterates her coming death, as she is asking the nurse to tell the man that she is gone, or dead.

Sorrow

I interpreted “Sorrow” as a somber poem, discussing the roles of women and men through a comparison with the seaside. The “I” in the poem is most likely the poet, walking along the seaside. She wishes to be, “tall, proud, and perfect” and to be apart of the sea (“I would let myself be carried along / with slow steps and cold eyes and mute mouths”) In this poem, the sea is beautiful, but carries with it a somber and sad connotation as well. The poem describes a man, who unlike the woman, is already the “handsomest man” and does not have to wish to be perfect. I believe that the poet sees the roles of men and women as very different. She sees women as inferior, always trying to be better, and men as dominate and the “handsomest.” The final line, “To feel the sea’s oblivion forever” makes me think that the poet is expressing how she will be trapped in this role forever.

Spain, Take This Cup From Me

César Vallejo’s attitude towards Spain is different from many of the other Latin American authors who we have read. Many of the early Latin American authors did not want Spain involved in Latin American affairs. Writers like Bolivar wanted independence from Spain, and authors such as Marti did not want any influences from other countries, including Spain. Vallejo’s “Spain, Take This Cup From Me,” clearly demonstrates Vallejo’s support for Spain. Vallejo wrote this poem in 1939, so either near the end of the Spanish Civil War or when the Spanish Civil War had ended. He was a big advocate for the Republic in Spain. In his poem he is suggesting that without Spain, Latin America would, “stop growing” and would be worse off; thus, Vallejo is advocating for Latin America to support Spain.

Response to Question 1

Many of Latin America's 19th-century thinkers and writers were deeply concerned with the project of nation building. How did they envision the identities (either cultural or political) of these new nations?

Before Latin America gained its independence, authors were writing about how Latin America must politically and culturally transform to defeat Spain and gain their independence. Bolivar in “The Jamaica Letter” wants the nation to unite. He believes together Latin America will be a nation that can gain its independence. Bello in “Ode to Agriculture” calls for a cultural transformation. He criticizes the people of Latin America for selling their land to people of Spain. He suggests that the people of Latin America need to stop conforming to ideals of other countries, become their own nation, and live in a land of nature and beauty rather than material goods and lust. After Latin America gains its independence the country falls into chaos. Sarmiento is writing at a time when cities are filled with villains and brutal dictators while plains are filled with free roaming gauchos. Sarmiento in the first chapter of “Facundo” is worried about how the lifestyles of Latin Americans are decreasing. Sarmiento does not like where Latin America is heading, culturally or politically. He is worried about the chaos and the dictators. People in cities are completely separate from people in plains. There is no collective society and therefore no government. People in cities are interested in material goods and a life of luxury. Religion has become corrupt. Boys are becoming physically but not intellectually strong. Marti in “Our America” stresses similar points as Sarmiento and Bello. Marti rejects the influence of other nations. He believes it is time for Latin America to come together, get back to their old cultural ways, and form their own government without the influence of any other country. Finally Dario’s “To Roosevelt” suggests that Latin America has finally built a foundation for a great nation, and that Latin America will soon rise and become very powerful.