Anuario de Letras Modernas

9-10

Authors: Consejo Editorial

Presentación del número.

25-34

Authors: Caroline Caset

In her novel "Confession d’une jeune fille" (1865), George Sand (pseudonym of Aurore Dupin, 1804-1876) fights two prejudices of her time: social segregation and gender discrimination. Through her heroine Lucienne de Valangis, the author demonstrates that the reconciliation of the people with the aristocracy is possible thanks to a preceptoril education, both of women and men, according to the criteria of the 19th century. Frumence Costei, the humble preceptor of Lucienne, makes of her an educated person and a free thinker. She becomes a subject capable of sa­crificing her fortune, her class privileges and her peerage in order to identify with the people. According to Sand, equality is possible with the development of personal value. The ideal the author outlines in this fiction is based on a reflection of a possible social balance that does not fall in the trap of inversion of gender or class roles.

49-58

Authors: Federico Patán

It is a common feature to give Poe the paternity of detective fiction. The following pages explore that idea with the discussion of four of Poe’s tales. The purpose is to establish the pattern Poe set as the viable one: the creation of the private detective, the creation of a sidekick character in charge of narrating the facts, and the definition of the method of investigation that keeps on being the basis of detective fiction. A few comparisons with Hammett and Chandler help to define Poe’s way of looking at detective fiction.

75-84

Authors: Mario Murgia

This essay explores the possibilities of translating a number of poems by Edgar Allan Poe into Spanish, in Mexico. Emphasis is placed on the limitations —or likely formal advantages— presented to the translator by Poe’s schematic ideas on poetic composition, particularly those in which sense is subordinated to the poet’s rhythmical and metrical peculiarities.

95-104

Authors: Bárbara Mendoza Sánchez

The social and political context in Germany after the defeat suffered in World War 11 experienced a radical change and a new beginning. In the specific case of the German Democratic Republic it also implied the possibility to have a better life, for it kept the hope in the socialist utopia alive, in spite of the repressive measures and problems it had to face. Heiner Müller was one of the many intellectuals compromised with this ideology and the creation of this new country he believed in as a writer, and its disappearance became for him a great disap­pointment and frustration that are manifested in his poem "Mommsens Block",where he reflects and questions the utility of History and the reformatory capa­city of men.

113-121

Authors: Monique Landais Choimet

Regarding man’s raison d’être in relation to his openness towards the other it is worth reading French contemporary novelist Sylvie Germain known for the Levinasianan-ethical perspective of her work. This perspective, unusual in our time, reinforces the steady determination of going against the grain. As a matter of fact, her characters personify current calamities: the forsaken, outsiders, beggars; they speak of the collective indif­ference aroused by their poverty. However far from yielding to deprimism, the novelist depicts with outstanding poetical skill the hope that is nourished by mutual responsibility. To be in the disposition of patiently listening to our brethren is a way of making up for this primal injustice. It is a necessary act of militancy for the reconstruction of the human community.

133-142

Authors: Girla Castillo Rodríguez

The classical myth of Medea has been given different treatments in which Medea is usually represented as a crafty and vindictive witch who carries and causes misfortune. Nevertheless, author Christa Wolf reactivates some forgotten ele­ments of the myth in her novel Medea. Stimmen. Wolf restructures the myth and shows how power institutions authorize abuse. These institutions are looking for scapegoats in order to avoid their own responsibility for social problems. That is why there is a need to chase away scapegoats which we identify with the ancient Greek figure of the pharmacos.

157-163

Authors: Graciela Estrada Vargas

The idea of Trans-ibericidade developed by Saramago has been translated into Spanish as “transiberismo” and it expresses the desire to establish cultural relations between the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas, Africa and Asia. The fact that this idea concerned Saramago allows us to reflect on the Por­tuguese and Mexican images of Spain, while at the same time we mention the difficulties to be overcome in order to achieve an iberismo and we describe briefly the relationship between member countries of the Iberian Peninsula and between Spain and Mexico. For Mexico, Spain had the role of the “Conqueror” who subjugated the Mexicans. For Portugal, Spain was the “Invader” who occupied their territory. However, Spain has strong affinities with Mexico and Portugal. This study wants to point outthat Mexico and Portugal have in common an ambiguous historical relationship with Spain, that their histories intersect and that writers like Saramago tried to reduce the abyss of differences to achieve mutual understanding.

183-201

Authors: Mario Murgia

Textos traducidos por Mario Murgia.

211-213

Authors: María Isabel Filinich

Reseña de María Stoopen. Sujeto y relato. Antología de textos teóricos