The Life and Death of Julia de Burgos characterized by Social Injustice (La Vida y la Muerte de Julia de Burgos caracterizadas por la Injusticia Social)

Indianapolis, IN

Poetry is an art form which is and always has been available for use by individuals wishing to constructively express their feelings on a variety of matters. For example, Julia de Burgos, a poet from Puerto Rico, often used her poetry to bring attention to social injustice and fight for equality. Her combative stance on the matter was clearly demonstrated by the common themes of feminism, Latina unity, and Marianismo seen in her works, which include poems A Julia de Burgos, Yo misma fue mi ruta, and Himno de Sangre a Trujillo, and her 1936 speech “La mujer ante el dolor de la patria.” Specific happenings in her life, including maltreatment in hospitals and her relationship with Jiménez Grullón, further serve to validate her actions, though ironically, they were also the cause of her untimely death in 1953, at the age of 39. This presentation will be given in Spanish.