The Guitar

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 2002

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Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

“Landscape” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

“Landscape,” or “Paisaje,” also found in Poem of the Deep Song, features short lyrical lines, natural elements, and similes like “The Guitar.” Lorca pays homage to the natural setting of Andalusia, particularly the olive tree, as Spain is known for being the largest producer of olive oil in the world. These trees, much like the guitar and the singing style of cante jondo, release an emotion and utter a scream in Line 14.

“The Cry” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

“The Cry,” or “El Grito,” also found in Poem of the Deep Song, pairs well with “The Guitar.” While the guitar weeps, the singer wails; the two go hand in hand to make the magic of flamenco music. As Lorca compares the guitar’s sobs to the sobs of wind and water in “The Guitar” poem, here he compares the singer’s cry to a rainbow arc that spreads across the land as well as the vibrations of the wind. Both poems utilize natural elements to suggest the raw energy and power of flamenco music.

“The Silence” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1921)

The poems above as well as “The Guitar” incorporate elements of weeping, crying, and screaming. On the other side, “The Silence,” or “El Silencio,” also found in the Poem of the Deep Song collection, addresses the lack of sound. Just as the weeping is far-reaching so is the “rolling silence” (Line 2). This silence is capable of “bend[ing] foreheads / down toward the ground” (Lines 5-6). While “The Guitar” expresses how the instrument cannot be silenced, this poem expresses how silence can have a power of its own.

“Ballad of the Moon Moon” by Federico Garcia Lorca (1928)

This poem from the Gypsy Ballads or Romancero Gitano, his most famous collection, has Lorca exploring the gypsies of Andalusia, Spain, where flamenco music originated and in which Lorca held deep interest. Similar to the guitar, the moon is personified, this time in the form of a woman. Lorca repeats the word “moon” throughout the poem in the form of a direct address: “Run Moon run Moon Moon” (Line 9), much like he repeats “guitar” and “weeping” and addresses “Oh, guitar!” (Line 25) in “The Guitar” poem.

Further Literary Resources

Impressions and Landscapes by Federico Garcia Lorca (1918)

This first published work of Lorca’s, Impressions and Landscapes, or Impresiones y Paisajes, chronicles his journey through northern Spain with his university professor. The book, printed by his father, includes poetic essays that begin with his romantic views of nature and poetry, and the following sections are devoted to his visual and aural observations of Granada and Castile, among other cities. His love of Spain and Spanish traditions are pervasive throughout his works.

Yerma by Federico Garcia Lorca (1934)

Lorca’s play about the yearning of a rural woman who is unable to have a child leads to a tragic ending. Infertility is associated with being cursed. The themes of longing, despair, and death resonate with the dark themes associated with the cante jondo and “The Guitar” poem. This play was produced two years before the Spanish Civil War and Lorca’s assassination.

Lorca: A Collection of Critical Essays edited by Manuel Duran (1962)

This collection of essays from various authors examines Lorca as man and in terms of his prominent genres and overarching themes. Example essays include “Lorca and the Poetry of Death” by Pedro Salinas and “A Poet Crazy about Color” by Louis Parrot. Even poet William Carlos Williams adds his thoughts on Lorca’s contributions to the writing field. Also included in this collection is a chronology of relevant dates in Lorca’s life.

“Towards an Analysis of Poetic Structure in Garcia Lorca” by David W. Foster (1975)

Foster’s article, published in the Hispanic Review (Volume 43, No. 1), acknowledges the amount of critical thought about Lorca’s poetry over time but how little of it is actually related to how Lorca structures his poems. Foster believes that understanding structure connects to understanding content and, therefore, enhances a reader’s evaluation of a poem. Given Lorca’s straddling of traditional and experimental poetic forms, Foster’s interest in structure provides another insight into Lorca’s approach to writing.

Deep Song: The Life and Work of Federico Garcia Lorca by Stephen Roberts (2020)

In this more recent biography, Roberts uses cities as chapter headings to place Lorca in the various locations that inspired and grounded his plays and poetry, including the Spanish countryside of his childhood. The romantic tone of the book brings to light the heartfelt lyricism of Lorca’s writing. Roberts also examines the themes of Lorca’s writing, including his early poems and their influences.