Jorge Luis Borges and his Great Love for Argentina - Article Example

Jorge Luis Borges and his great love for Argentina Jorge Luis Borges is one of the pioneers of Argentinean literature, who, through his influential writings and inimitable style, has managed to create a new genre in literature. As Alberto Julian Perez writes in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, Borges was a man who had the unique ability to combine “literary and extraliterary genres in order to create a dynamic, electric genre.” (“Jorge Luis Borges”) This ability of the Argentine author, however, proved pivotal not only for Argentina’s literature scene, but also had significant impact on world literature, specifically on that of America. The brilliance of Jorge Luis Borges the author came into existence as a result of a number of factors, including his genealogy, his early life experiences, his exposure to Spanish and English at a very young age, his family’s trips to Europe and most importantly, his paternal grandmother. All these things served to shape the man who, with his erudite creativity, created masterpieces which, till date, are read and praised by people all over the world. Although he wrote and compiled numerous short stories and poems, and received accolades for his prose, Borges started off his literary career with a collection of poems titles Fervor de Buenos Aires. The collection, literally translated to mean Passion for Buenos Aires, is an acute reflection of the love and sentiment the poet has for his homeland. The work was not only significant in its content, but had great emotional value for Borges too. In his autobiographical essay, Borges claimed that throughout his literary career, he felt he had never moved beyond his first creation. In his own words, “I feel that all my subsequent writing has only developed themes first taken up there; I feel that all during my lifetime I have been rewriting that one book.” (Lovecraft, 199) These words aptly reveal the impact the work had on Borges. Through the analysis of Fervor de Buenos Aires, the love of Jorge Luis Borges for his country Argentina can be discovered in greater insight. Borges deep attachment to his country can be explained in the events that preceded the publishing of Fervor de Buenos Aires. Born in Buenos Aires, he was raised in a suburban district located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. He grew up in a household that was unique for the time – both English and Spanish were spoken fluently in the family. His father had a sprawling library of English books, and Borges had read great English literary masterpieces at a very young age. As a young boy, he was not interested in the show of physical aggression as were the other boys of his age, and was a quiet intellectual. Moreover, the presence of Borges paternal grandmother had an important influence on his early erudition. She was an Englishwoman, who was living with Borges’ family after her husband and Borges’ grandfather, Colonel Borges, was shot dead. This woman played a pivotal role in keeping alive the glory of her husband’s military services, inculcating a sense of pride in the young Borges. In fact, as Borges claimed in his later life, it was the dry English wit used by his grandmother in her storytelling that contributed to his unique concise style. On the other hand, his mother, too, was a proud descendent of freedom fighters, and displayed paraphernalia in her house that commemorated the grandeur of the freedom fighters of the country. Thus, at an early age, Borges was made aware of his cultural heritage, and was made to develop a sense of pride for his country and his culture. At the age of fifteen, however, the family made a trip to Europe. This trip changed Borges life in more than one way. The family, once in Europe, was caught in the onset of the First World War, and was stranded away from home for as long as seven years. It was during these seven years that he not only experienced growth in his literary understanding, but also gained exposure to the Ultraist movement. This movement was based on the ideas of a group of poets who wrote for a prominent magazine of the time, the Ultra. The Ultraist ideals were in direct opposition to post modernism, which was the dominant theme in poetry at the time. This affiliation with a radical movement proved significant to Borges’ ideas. In 1921, when the Borges finally returned to Buenos Aires, Jorge Luis Borges saw his homeland in a completely new light. Living in Europe made him aware of the fact that his roots, his origins, lie elsewhere. All these years, he had longed for a sense of belonging, with which he was deprived of during his years away from Argentina. Setting foot on the soil of his homeland, he experienced what he had longed for all those years. Borges, in his autobiographical essay had mentioned that, had he lived in Argentina all his life, he would never have felt the same attachment to his roots that he had experienced now (Ruch, Borges). It is no coincidence therefore, that over the course of the next two years, Fervor de Buenos Aires, a work rich with the themes of nationalism, was compiled and completed. While the insight into the background of the compilation of Fervor de Buenos Aires significantly explains the dominance of patriotic themes in the work, no analysis would be complete without an in depth study of the collection itself. Fervor de Buenos Aires is a 64 page long work, where the poet seeks to relive Buenos Aires. In his rediscovery of his home city, Borges sings a hymn in praise of the city’s past and present. The element of self pride, something that was instilled as a part of his personality since his childhood, is evident from these poems. Borges reconstructs the glory of Buenos Aires by portraying it as a city with a rich cultural heritage, while at the same time, gives it a dynamic appeal by projecting it as the home of dark and sinister elements. Borges’ fascination and awe of the streets of Buenos Aires makes the place equally intriguing for the reader as well. It is interesting to note that the first poem of the collection is titled ‘Las Calles” or “Streets”, while the last one is named “Las calles de Buenos Aires/ya son me entrana” or “The streets of Buenos Aires/are already my guts”. The poet is clearly heavily affected by the streets of Buenos Aires, and presents them as the scene of all the enigmatic action of the city. The brothels, the knife fights, the scandalous tango – all were a part of the streets of Buenos Aires. No foreigner would be able to understand these excitements, only one who is at home will be able to appreciate and value these street experiences. In the words of Borges, it was in these very streets that he “recovered his inheritance” (Wilson, “Jorge Luis”). Despite being away from it during his time in Europe, Argentina and Buenos Aires was very much a part of his soul – which explains his longing and yearning. Although he was living in Europe, he could not see it as the “home” Argentina was for him. His reunion with his homeland is filled with ecstatic undertones, as if he had found his long lost treasure. Borges’ passionate love for his country successfully evokes feelings of patriotism among his readers as well. In addition to the dominant theme of passionate patriotic love for Argentina, Fervor de Buenos Aires also attempts to preserve Buenos Aires in its original, cultural self, and prevent it from falling prey to the imitations of metropolitan cities like Paris and Madrid. Having lived a substantial time in Europe, his image of the real Buenos Aires meant a preservation of the city in its uncorrupted form. Corruption, in purely metaphorical terms, meant European influence. This statement is supported by the fact that throughout the entire collection, he speaks abundantly of streets and suburbs, but neatly avoids mention of the popular, but European inspired buildings and avenues of the time. This attitude can be likened to the child who clutches his mother in an endearing hug, but at the same time, is also afraid of losing the very warmth that he cherishes so much. In the same way, Borges speaks endearingly of Buenos Aires while simultaneously being afraid of losing its charm to modernization. Having lived in Europe, he realized that it is not the imposingly ornately architecture that makes a nation great – it is the nation’s ability to hold on to its roots and culture that make it worthy in the pages of history. Jorge Luis Borges wrote his collection of poems titled Fervor de Buenos Aires as the first step of his career. The work, in essence, can best be described as a journey to find one’s home. Themes of belonging, patriotism and passionate fervor for one’s homeland are dominant, while the urge to protect and preserve Argentina from foreign influence in also present. The themes of his work are interestingly paralleled in the personal life experiences of Borges’ own life, making its analysis deeply insightful. Works Cited Lovecraft, Howard P, and David E. Schultz. An Epicure in the Terrible: A Centennial Anthology of Essays in Honor of H.p. Lovecraft. Rutherford [u.a.: Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Press [u.a., 1991. Print. "Jorge Luis Borges." : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 June 2012. . Ruch, Allen B. "Borges - A Biography." The Modern World. N.p., 21 Sept. 2004. Web. 09 June 2012. . Wilson, Jason. Jorge Luis Borges. London: Reaktion Books, 2006. Print. Read More