The gaucho Martín Fierro
The first canto
English versión of José Hernández’s poem —
José Hernández’s “El gaucho Martín Fierro” is a classic epic poem, divided into two parts, published in 1872 and 1879. It tells the story of Martín Fierro, a rural Argentine man, who is forced to flee his home and live as a fugitive due to a draft(forced recruitment for war) it describes the injustice and mistreatment of the gauchos by society and government, and also it celebrates their way of life and values. This poem is widely considered one of the most significant literary works in Argentina and is deeply ingrained in the country’s cultural heritage.
In this presentation, I will be providing a detailed explanation of the first part of the poem, referred to as “The departure of Martín Fierro.” The complete poem can be accessed through the following link:
The departure of Martín Fierro
The first canto
In the opening canto, there are several central themes. The first is the introduction of the character Fierro, who expresses that he sings to find comfort for “an extraordinary pain” {“una pena extraordinaria”} and views this verse as a means of communication, singing for others and positioning us, his audience, as confidants. He also demands our attention.
SIT me here to sing my song
To the beat of my old guitar;
For the man whose life is a bitter cup,
With a song may yet his heart lift up,
As the lonely bird on the leafless tree,
That sings ’neath the gloaming star.
Then gather around and hearken well
Toa gaucho’s doleful story,
In whose veins the blood of the Pampas runs,
Who married a wife and begat him sons,
Yet who nevertheless is held by some
As a bandit grim and gory.
Additionally, he warns us that the story he has to tell is that of a man who has fallen into disgrace, as conveyed in the final two stanzas of the opening canto:
SIT me here to sing my song
To the beat of my old guitar.
{Aquí me pongo a cantar,
al compás de la vigüela.}
The use of octosyllabic verse is a characteristic of the gauchesque “payada”, a style popular among contemporary poets, as seen in the line “Tell me, partner.”
Despite not being a gaucho himself, José Hernández, like other authors of what is known as gauchesque poetry, intentionally incorporated gaucho language and the use of octosyllabic verse into his work. Additionally, it also uses another common feature of payadas — the invocation of saints — which can be seen clearly in the first verse.
Come down ye Saints that have helped me
In many a perilous pass;
For my tongue is tied and my eyes grow dim,
And the man that calis, God answers him,
And brings him home to his own roof-tree,
Out of many a deep morass.
This is very characteristic of the gauchesque payada, as is also the gesture of self-affirmation when he says:
For me the whole great world is small,
Believe me, my heart can hold it all;
The snake strikes not at my passing foot,
The sun burns not my head.
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