Tropics of History - Cuba Imagined

This study offers a unique perspective in interpreting the cultural politics of Cuba's complex history through an exploration of the country's literature. The book introduces readers to some of Cuba's most eminent and engaging voices by examining some of the historical tropes put forth by major writers. Drawing on an array of interpretive approaches from mythopoetic analysis to phenomenology, West addresses the work of Nancy Morejón, Alejo Carpentier, Virgilio Piñera, Dulce María Loynaz, José Lezama Lima, and Severo Sarduy. This poetic look at Cuba's rich and turbulent history through the eyes of its writers will be of interest to students and scholars of Latin American history and culture.

List of contents

A Suggestion for the Reader
Introduction: Tropics of History: Cuba Imagined
The Stone and Its Images: The Poetry of Nancy Morejón
History as Stepping Razor: Tragedy and Revolution in Alejo Carpentier's Explosion in a Cathedral
History and Its Doubles: The Master-Slave Dialectic, or What Happens When Hegel Meets the Keystone Cops (Virgilio Piñera)
Dulce María Loynaz: The House Where the Nation Dreams
Dragons and Theurgy: José Lezama Lima's Images of History
Cross Dressing as Transculturation in Three Novels by Severo Sarduy
Paradigms Lost: The Manigua of Meaning
Living Tropes, Living Hopes
Appendix: Cuban History: An Overview
Bibliography
Index

About the author

Alan West-Duran

Product details

• Authors: Alan West, Alan West-Duran, West-Duran Alan
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.07.1997
• EAN: 9780897893381
• ISBN: 978-0-89789-338-1
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Cultural Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory, Cuba, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, LITERARY CRITICISM / European / Spanish & Portuguese, HISTORY / Caribbean & West Indies / Cuba, LITERARY CRITICISM / Caribbean & Latin American, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, world history, Spanish, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Literary theory, History of the Americas, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000