GAUCHO LITERATURE: HISTORY, WORKS, AUTHORS AND CHARACTERISTICS - LITERATURE - 2025

The gaucho literature is a subgenre of Latin American literature, which tries to reflect the lifestyle and personal characteristics of the Argentine gaucho and Uruguay through prose and verse. The main element of gaucho literature is the gaucho.

The gaucho is a kind of farm worker who lives in vast natural spaces (very far from urban centers), who is also forced to survive in a hostile environment thanks to the difficulties of the Pampas. This figure also served to reflect the customs and traditions that were lived in rural areas.

In addition to being a reflection of rural life, it also allowed space for social criticism in the face of historical events during the process of shaping the Argentine state. Currently it is considered a representative genre of Argentine values, folklore and identity.

Critics and specialists in this genre indicate that when speaking of gaucho literature, one speaks of poetry. Among the most representative authors of this genre we can mention Bartolomé Hidalgo, Estanislao del Campo and, of course, José Hernández, whose work entitled Martín Fierro became a national and international reference.

Origins and history

It is estimated that the first manifestations that dealt with life in the countryside occurred at the end of the 18th century, in the vicinity of the La Plata River.

There, a style of orally transmitted poetry began to form, which took the structure of Spanish expressions such as the carol or the romancero.

At that time, the way to stay informed of the day-to-day events and events was through the songs performed mainly by the peasants or gauchos, because the majority of the population was uneducated. In addition, this served as a method of communication and training.

It should be noted that some authors estimate that the genesis of this literature begins with the stories about the gaucho from the work Lazarillo de ciegos y paseontes, published by Concoloncorvo in 1773.

However, this genre manages to consolidate in the middle of the 19th century with Patriotic Dialogues, by the gaucho poet Bartolomé Hidalgo.

Another title that was also a fundamental piece for the beginning of gaucho literature was Fausto (1866), by Estanislao del Campo. This this play narrates the adventures of a gaucho who attends an evening at the opera at the Teatro Colón and who recounts his experiences upon returning to his town.

Although this work has a rather superficial and funny vision of the image of the gaucho, little by little a clearer and sharper image of this character is being formed; This image is the one that will last in time.

This was largely due to works such as Facundo (1845), where two types of gaucho stand out: one noble, lonely and quiet; and the other rather rebellious and willing to confront the laws and authorities (also called a matrero).

The gaucho Martín Fierro

Despite the aforementioned manifestations, it is the work of José Hernández, Martín Fierro (1872), which becomes the highest expression of gaucho literature in Argentina and the world.

Hernández's poem talks about the gaucho Martín Fierro, a calm, hard-working, heroic and independent man, who is forced to defend the country's borders from indigenous invasions.

Therefore, Fierro must separate from his wife and children to suffer abuse and disappointment from his superiors.

Over time he manages to escape to return home, but finds everything destroyed. It is at that moment when he will change drastically to transform himself into a gaucho matrero.

This emblematic work of this genre manages to establish the characteristics of the gaucho as a humble and hardworking peasant man who must deal with the despair that comes his way. The gaucho is the voice of the rural people, which is gradually displaced by the bourgeois majorities.

Gaucho literature in the 20th century

Later, Martín Fierro also published significant works within gaucho literature, such as Juan Moreira (1880) by Eduardo Gutiérrez, a book in which the life of Juan Moreira is recounted, a thuggish guacho who becomes a kind of Robin Hood for the poor and peasants.

Although in the years after the 19th century gaucho literature lived its maximum splendor and the figure of the gaucho had already been completely crystallized, the popularity of the genre began to decline after the mid-20th century.

However, this element of Argentine identity is retaken again in other fields of the arts, such as painting, theater and music.

Even after the 1950s, the gaucho was introduced in other formats, such as cinema, television and even cartoons.

All these attempts arise with the intention of rescuing the symbolic importance of the gaucho in Argentine and Latin American culture.

Main characteristics of gaucho literature

Throughout its history, it can be said that gaucho literature meets certain essential features:

- La Pampa is the setting where the stories unfold and it is the place where the gaucho acquires a simple and solitary personality.

- The gaucho is the main character.

- The elements that always accompany the gaucho are the horse, the poncho, the knife and the mate.

- The conflict between the country and the city is represented.

- There are descriptions of peasant life and customs of the geographical area.

- A strong social component is present through criticism.

- The use of the monologue predominates over the dialogue.

Featured Works and Authors

Bartolomé Hidalgo

Poet originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, he was the author of important works such as Patriotic Dialogues and Oriental Hymn.

Rafael Obligado

He is considered one of the most important figures in gaucho literature thanks to the work Santos Vega, a poem based on the homonymous story of the manners Eduardo Gutiérrez. Another of his works that stands out is Leyendas Argentinas, which exalts Argentine folklore.

Esteban Echeverria

Poet who satirically depicted the eating habits of the Río de la Plata area in the text Apología del matambre.

In the text, Echeverría exalts the properties of matambre (cut of beef) over foreign foods.

Eduarda Mansilla de García

Argentine writer residing in France. She wrote the play Pablo ou le vie en las pampas (or Pablo or life in the Pampas), one of the most popular novels in the country set in the gaucho landscape.

Jose Hernandez

Argentine poet widely known for his works El gaucho Martín Fierro (also called La ida) and La returned de Martín Fierro.

Through both books Hernández managed to consolidate the image of the Argentine gaucho, to turn him into a national symbol and representative of the Argentine character.

References

1. Apology of the matambre. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: February 8, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
2. The gaucho Martín Fierro. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved: February 8, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
3. Gaucho. (sf). In Martín Fierro Interactivo. Retrieved: February 8, 2018. In Martín Fierro Interactivo de fierro.bn.gov.ar.
4. Fernández, López, Justo. The gaucho literature of Argentina. (sf). In Hispanoteca. Retrieved on: February 8, 2018. In Hispanoteca at hispanoteca.eu.
5. The return of Martín Fierro. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 8, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
6. Gaucho literature. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 8, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
7. Pablo ou la vie dans les pampas. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 8, 2018. In Wikipedia at es.wikipedia.org.
8. Santos Vega. (sf). On Wikipedia. Retrieved on: February 08, 2018. In Wikipedia from es.wikipedia.org.