Abstract

Few figures in the history of the Americas are surrounded with more colorful lore and acclamation than the Cuban politician, teacher, patriot, and poet Jose Marti. Among Marti's literary contributions, his Ismaelillo, a collection of fifteen poems published in 1882, claims prominence as both Marti's first book of poems and as a seminal Latin American text. Celebrated for its sincere communication of paternal love and lauded as the genesis of Hispanic literary modernism, Ismaelillo captures the longing of an exiled father separated from his son and homeland. Its language is at once evocative of classical Spanish literature and innovative, incorporating allusions to Golden Age drama while introducing neologisms and oneiric imagery that were daring for Marti's time. Despite the significance of Ismaelillo in Latin American literature, no complete English translation of the work has yet been published. The foremost aim of this thesis project, then, is to fill this lack. The English translation seeks to reflect Marti's meaning, rhythm, and additional phonological effects such as alliteration, rhyme, and anaphora. It balances primary concerns of fidelity to the original text with concerns of accessibility and satisfaction for a contemporary English audience. To reveal further the meaning of Marti's Ismaelillo, annotations and a critical introduction explore the text's historical and literary contexts.

Thesis Completion

2010

Degree

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Degree Program

History

Subjects

Arts and Humanities -- Dissertations, Academic;Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Humanities

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0020690

Language

English

Rights

Written permission granted by copyright holder to the University of Central Florida Libraries to digitize and distribute for nonprofit, educational purposes.

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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