The Metaphor of the Sea
Introduction
Review about the hug of the sea. About the metaphor of the sea and the symbology of water in the Spanish and Spanish -American erotic poetry of Martin Schatzmann Willvonsede the water has been since the beginning of time an indispensable element for humanity, closely linked with the cycle of life (theman has been influenced by the idea that life flows just like a river). To begin with, water constitutes two thirds of the human body and three quarters of the earth’s surface, so it is a vital element for both entities.
In addition, water is part of the beginning of life, not only the human being is formed for nine months in the placenta, an aquatic environment, and comes to life only after "having broken waters", but every living being of the planethad its origin in water. Water is also, in some cultures, an element of purification or renewal (as in Muslim religion). However, water is not only a symbol of life, but also of death, although sometimes it is accompanied by a subsequent resurrection (as in the Judeo -Christian religion).
Developing
The idea of death related to death is found in authors such as Jorge Manrique, in his couplets to the death of my father, with verses such as: "Our lives are the rivers they are going to give in the sea" or Antonio Machado, in whose verses the river flows to the sea, which is, again, death: «What is the truth? The river that flows and passes where the boat and the boatman are also water waves? Or this marine is always with a riverbank and anchor?".
Martin Schatzmann reflects on his article on the connection between the symbology of water and Spanish and Spanish -American erotic poetry, analyzing how he has been varying from classical culture to the twentieth century, in relation to Judeo -Christian and Arabic influences. The article begins in classical antiquity, whose literature predominates mythology. The author starts from the idea that for the Greeks water is a source of life, which is manifest in its mythology, in which the ocean was represented by a titan.
Ocean, who is considered the origin of the rivers and streams and parent of all creatures linked to water. This idea of the primitive ocean, the origin of a lifetime, we also found it in more archaic mythologies, as in the ancient Mesopotamia, whose goddess Nammu, the first deity and origin of everything, symbolized the ‘abyss of waters’ in the original ocean. But as the author points out rightly, the sea has two faces, such as eroticism. Not only does it appear as a source of life, but also of threat and violence.
Which can lead to emotions such as fear, which manifest in mythology, leading to terrifying and dangerous sea creatures, such as sirens, Lerna hydra or kraken. We also find in the figure of Caronte, who transports the dead in his boat, sailing on the Estigia river, a clear representation of the death united to water. Next, the author focuses on the link between eroticism and love feeling and mythology, using several heroic figures.
As Ulysses who faces the seductive singing of the sirens;Andromeda, who was sacrificed to the marine monster sent by Poseidon and ended up being saved by Perseus or Aphrodite, goddess of love, who was born from marine foam. I will add to these figures that of Narciso, who fell in love with his own image and ended up drowning in the waters that reflected it. From here, the article focuses on the Renaissance and the Golden Age, in which, due to the influence of Judeo -Christian and Arabic culture, the relationship with water changes.
Christianity adopted water as a symbol of purification and eternal life (a vision completely opposite to the erotic of classical antiquity), which is manifested in numerous religious myths, such as the flood (Renaissance and regeneration symbol through water) or inThe story of Moses, who was abandoned in the waters of the Nile to be saved and subsequently separated the waters from the Red Sea to save his people. We also find it reflected in its rites.
As baptism, which is done with water and symbolizes purification and rebirth. On the other hand, the author starts from the statement that the Spanish sailors of the time did not like the sea and the influence of Arab culture (whose technology was focused on the use of fresh water), to explain why inThis era the sea loses its prominence in traditional poetry to give way to fresh water, which will be loaded with erotic symbolism.
Hence, we find in popular lyric recurring images loaded with eroticism such as washing or washing, since the shirt was an intimate garment and implies intimacy, cold and clear water (virginity) against hot and murky water (loss of virginity,the sexual encounter), the water (which was related to fertility), drink water or the figure of the deer (since it was the form of fertility). In addition, La Fuente and La Fontana were meeting places for lovers and river banks are part of the image of the amoenus locus.
Scenario in which love develops, as in the eclogue I of Garcilaso de la Vega. I think it is convenient to make an subsection in the fact that the author argues that during the golden centuries, naval terminology specializes, so the use of these terms is given to refer to erotic images, however, they did not achieve much popularity forWhat there are few examples. The author exemplifies his argument through different works such as Matea and her husband.
Notable event between a gentleman and a tailor and satire against the nuns. Thus, we find a Spain in which traditional poetry sees in fresh water a source of love and life (religious influences) and in the salty something dangerous, cold and unpleasant, so that the poets did not find eroticism in it in itAnd it was only used as a backdrop or in metaphors and that, although in the poetry of the golden centuries it is rediscovered, to some extent, the erotic sea of the classics, is only in isolated examples.
From here, the article focuses on romanticism and the twentieth century, times in which the erotic component returns more force due to a new assessment of nature. It should be noted that the author begins by naming Bécquer, who brings back the classic sea through allusions to Greek mythology and Arab tradition, two cultures in which eroticism is present. However, the author emphasizes that it is in the twentieth century in which he returns with more force.
Since we find an erotic poetry more abundant, direct and sexual. In addition, it should be noted that it appears, for the first time in the entire text, the mention of Latin American poetry, which is where we find more personal and sentimental connections with the sea. The author focuses on certain works to exemplify the role of the sea in the erotic poetry of the time. From his comments we can conclude that the sea is sometimes presented as a personification of the lover (which can be feminine or male, according to the author).
In which the ever zambulle, willing to everything. Following Schatzmann, during the twentieth century we find the transformed sea, freed from the restrictive influences of religion. The sea is now much more sensual and attractive, a personal and felt experience, which is lived with the "five senses". In addition, the sailor has become an erotic figure, as they are representatives of a life in freedom, without ties. The perspective adopted by the author seems innovative to me.
conclusion
It focuses on an atypical aspect of water symbolism, since it is normally seen, as we have been able to verify, as a purifying element, a source of life or death, of renewal. However, commenting your erotic load is not the most common. However, I miss the mention of authors such as Federico García Lorca, one of the poets who has most handled the symbolism of water, such as his Yerma work, in which there is a clear relationship between water and fertility.
In addition, he barely mentions Hispano -American poets, among which I would like to highlight Nerudconstantly related to sexual act. And we cannot end without commenting on the figure of the poet Alfonsina Storni, because the sea in his works appears as a Renaissance symbol and even ended his life suicide in the sea, mimicing with him forever.
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