El Buen Salvaje Canta: a Depiction of the Charrúa Tribe in Three Later Nineteenth Century Works of Uruguayan Literature

El Buen Salvaje Canta: A Depiction of the Charrúa Tribe in three later Nineteenth Century Works of Uruguayan Literature by John Anthony Clancy Thesis submitted as part of Masters in Language Studies College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Flinders University 2019 2 Statement of Originality I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge, it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at Flinders University or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at Flinders University or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the research project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. 3 Abstract The poem Tabaré by Juan Zorrilla de San Martín has been considered the national epic poem of Uruguay since its creation in 1886. Tabaré recounts he struggle of the indigenous Charrúa tribe of the Banda Oriental (modern Uruguay) against the Spanish invaders of the sixteenth century and their ultimate defeat. Its popularity served to eclipse a preceding series of literary works which also depicted the Charrúas. Zorrilla’s overall negative portrayal of a vanished race prevailed for much of the following century. This thesis investigates three earlier literary works, a drama, a novelette, and a grand opera, and compares their treatment of the same characters and historical events. This study reveals the existence of some commonalities among all three works, including a more positive interpretation of the Charrúas and their place in Uruguayan history. The comparative study includes the analysis of literary themes and use of language. The examination of excerpts from the opera will reveal how the music of the opera relates to the mentioned themes and to the text of Desteffanis. For the purpose of this thesis, an original and sole recording of these excerpts has been prepared. To the author’s knowledge, this thesis represents the first study of the opera from that perspective. 4 Acknowledgements David Stephensen (Technician for the Recording), Dr. Leonardo Manzino (For supply of books and the interview), Alonso Navarro (For help with Spanish translations), Ada Snell (Translator of the Italian text), the staff at La Biblioteca Nacional de Uruguay, Montevideo, the staff at El Museo Romántico de Montevideo, the staff at La Herradura Escuela de Español, Montevideo, the staff at City of Greater Bendigo Library, the staff at Latrobe University Library, Bendigo, Lynda Burke (For coaching the singers in Italian pronunciation), St. Therese’s Parish Office, Kennington, Bendigo (For access to computer). Also singers/ accompanists -, David Stephensen, Frederick Kelly, Bryan Milne, Janet Brown, Carolyn Vaughan, David Steed, Michael Smith, Margaret Legge-Wilkinson. 5 Table of Contents Statement of Originality ....................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1. Introduction to Thesis and Literature Review .............................................................. 7 1A – Prologue ..................................................................................................................................... 7 1B – Aim of Thesis ........................................................................................................................... 10 1C – The Themes of Each Work ....................................................................................................... 11 1D – The Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 12 1E – The Central Thesis Questions ................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2. Methodology, Methods, Sources, and Summary of the Chapters ........................... 17 2A – Methodology ............................................................................................................................ 18 2B – Methods .................................................................................................................................... 19 Methods: Preliminary Investigations ........................................................................................... 19 Methods: Fieldwork ..................................................................................................................... 19 Methods: Identification and Translation of Sources .................................................................... 20 2C – The Principal Primary Sources ................................................................................................. 21 2D – The Secondary Sources. ........................................................................................................... 22 2E – A Brief Summary of the Chapters ............................................................................................ 23 Chapter 3. The Quest for El Buen Salvaje ...................................................................................... 25 3A – Prologue ................................................................................................................................... 25 3B – The Massacre ............................................................................................................................ 25 3C – Nineteenth Century Theories of Race ...................................................................................... 27 3D – The Noble Savage .................................................................................................................... 28 3E – The Writings of Bartolomé de las Casas .................................................................................. 30 3F – Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 32 Chapter 4. Charrúas as Enemies and Allies ................................................................................... 33 4A – Prologue ................................................................................................................................... 33 4B – Historical Sources about the Charrúa ....................................................................................... 33 4C – The First European Contact ...................................................................................................... 35 4D – The Role of the Charrúas in Artigas’ Campaigns .................................................................... 36 4E – Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 39 Chapter 5. An Examination of the Historical Drama El Charrúa by Pedro P. Bermúdez ......... 40 5A – Prologue ................................................................................................................................... 40 5B – Theme 1. The Theme of Love ................................................................................................. 41 5C – Theme 2. The Theme of Love of the Fatherland ...................................................................... 42 6 5D – Theme 3. The Theme of an Indomitable Race which loves Liberty ....................................... 43 5E – Theme 4. The Theme of Chivalry, Loyalty, and Hospitality ................................................... 45 5F – Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 47 Chapter 6. An Examination of the Novelette Abayubá by Florencio Escardó .............................. 48 6A – Prologue ................................................................................................................................... 48 6B – Theme 1. The Charrúa Way of Life ........................................................................................ 48 6C – Theme 2. Love And Faithfulness To The Beloved ................................................................. 51 6D – Theme 3. The Love Of The Fatherland Surpassing The Love Of Another Human Being ..... 53 6E – Theme 4. The Attitude Of The Spanish Towards The Charrúas ............................................. 54 6F – Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 56 Chapter 7. The Growth of National Identity in Uruguay, and the Composing of Liropeya. ....... 57 7A – Prologue ................................................................................................................................... 57 7B – La Guerra Grande (The Big War) ........................................................................................... 57 7C

Load more