The Poet and His Reflection: Autobiography, Reality, and Fiction in the Poetry of Luis Cernuda

Abstract

The Spanish poet Luis Cernuda (1902-1963) is one of the members of the Generation of 1927. He is exiled from Spain in 1938 and spends the rest of his life in countries such as Great Britain, France, the United States, and Mexico where he dies in 1963. As a young poet, Cernuda doesn’t receive the credit he deserves for his poetry; however, as the years go by, Cernuda emerges as a prominent 20th Century Spanish poet. It isn’t until after his death that his critics begin to notice the genius behind Cernuda’s verses and recognize him for the quality and maturity of his work as well as his contribution to the poetry of exile. It is the goal of this thesis to provide evidence that Cernuda’s poetry is autobiographical, which he demonstrates through his treatment of the themes of solitude, exile, homosexuality, and memory. Additionally, the thesis will treat the topic of reality and fiction as an important aspect of Cernuda’s body of writing.