María is a novel
written by Colombian writer Jorge
Isaacs between
1864 and 1867. It is a costumbrist
novel representative
of the Spanish romantic movement.
It may be considered a precursor of the criollist novel of
the 1920s and 1930s in Latin America.
Despite being
Isaacs' only novel, María is
considered one of the most important works of 19th-century Spanish American
literature. Alfonso M. Escudero characterized it as the greatest
Spanish-language romantic novel. The romantic style of the novel has
been compared to the one of Chateaubriand's Atala.
Notable are the description of the landscape and the artistic style of the
prose.
The novel has
several autobiographical elements,
such as both main characters being natives of Valle del Cauca, or Efraín's
departure to Bogotá to
pursue his studies. It has been claimed that Maria herself is based, at least
in part, upon a cousin of the author. The hacienda "El
Paraíso", owned by Isaacs' family, also figures as an important
location throughout the novel; it is currently preserved as a museum.
The story
narrates the idyllic and tragic love between María and her cousin Efraín, both
natives of Valle
del Cauca. In the middle of a romantic and bucolic landscape, the young
characters fall in love with each other but circumstances prevent the full
realization of their love. The first hurdle is Efraín's departure for six years
to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, in order to pursue his high school
education. After Efraín returns to Valle del Cauca the
couple is able to live together, albeit for only three months, before he is
forced to travel to London in
order to study medicine. Two years later Efraín returns to Colombia to find
that María has died of illness. Heart-broken, Efraín decides to leave Cauca
definitely, this time without a fixed destination.
1. Where
was Jorge Isaacs born?
A. He
was born in Cali
B. He
was born in London
C. He
was born in Caracas
D. He
was born in New York
2. Costumbrist and criollist are
A. Literary
movement in Latin America
B. People
who have many customs
C. People
who were born in Colombia
D. Literary
styles appeared in 1845
3. Maria is
compared to Atala because
A. their
main characters were natives of Valle del Cauca,
B. The
romantic style, the description of the landscape and the artistic style of the
prose are similar.
C. Chateaubriand
and Isaacs were writers
D. Both
books were written at the same time
4. What does
Maria’s story narrate to the readers?
A. The
story narrates the idyllic love between María and her uncle Efraín
B. The
story tells the idyllic and tragic love between María and her cousin Efraín
C. The
romantic style of people in 19th-century.
D. The
story narrates the life and customs of
Valle Caucanos in 19th-century
5. The phrase
“the couple is able to live together, albeit for only three months” means:
A. They
only lived together by three months.
B. They
didn’t live together.
C. The
lived together more than three months
D. Maria
and Efrain never lived.
