Góngora - "Mientras por competir por tu cabello"

Summary

This video analyzes Luis de Góngora's famous sonnet *Mientras por competir con tu cabello*, written in 1582, which explores themes of beauty, aging, and mortality. Drawing from the *memento mori* tradition, Góngora compares the woman's beauty to elements of nature, such as gold, lilies, and carnations. The poem urges the woman to enjoy her beauty while she can, as time will eventually transform it into decay. The analysis emphasizes Góngora's intricate syntax, musicality, and the Baroque's dual themes of fleeting beauty and inevitable destruction, reflecting both *carpe diem* and *memento mori* concepts.

Takeaways

• 😀 The sonnet *'Mientras por competir con tu cabello'* by Luis de Góngora was written in 1582 and deals with themes of beauty, time, and death.
• 😀 The poem follows the *memento mori* theme, reminding the reader of the inevitability of death, while also incorporating the *carpe diem* motif, urging the enjoyment of life and beauty in the present.
• 😀 The sonnet is structured with two quatrains and two tercets, a typical structure for a sonnet, with the quatrains setting up comparisons and the tercets delivering the message about life's fleeting nature.
• 😀 Góngora compares the woman's beauty to natural elements like gold, lilies, carnations, and shining crystal, emphasizing how her beauty surpasses these symbols of nature.
• 😀 The Baroque style is evident through the complex sentence structures, including hyperbatons (inverted syntax), and the use of vivid imagery to illustrate the beauty of the woman.
• 😀 The poet uses a Latinism ('lirium' for 'lily') to enhance the poem's musicality and elegance, demonstrating Góngora's attention to sound and rhythm.
• 😀 The poem contrasts the beauty of the woman with the eventual decay of her physical body, symbolizing aging through images of silver and withered flowers.
• 😀 In the tercets, Góngora urges the woman to enjoy her beauty before it fades, reminding her that youth is temporary and will ultimately turn to dust and nothingness.
• 😀 The progression from beautiful natural imagery to the harsh imagery of 'earth, smoke, dust, shadow, and nothing' reflects the inevitability of death, reinforcing the *memento mori* theme.
• 😀 The structure of the poem is also a form of contrast, with the lush, vibrant beauty of the woman in the quatrains giving way to the inevitable destruction in the tercets, reinforcing the passage of time and the impermanence of life.

Q & A

What central theme does Góngora's sonnet explore?

The sonnet explores the themes of memento mori (the inevitability of death) and carpe diem (seizing the moment), urging the subject to enjoy her beauty before it fades with time.

How does Góngora use natural imagery in the poem?

Góngora uses various natural elements such as gold, lilies, roses, and crystal to symbolize the beauty of the woman. These elements are contrasted with the imagery of aging and decay, like silver, withered flowers, dust, and nothingness.

What is the significance of the word 'lirío' (lily) in the poem?

'Lirío' is a Latin-derived term for lily, used instead of the more common 'azucena' (lily). This choice adds a sense of musicality and elegance to the poem, reflecting Góngora’s desire for a refined aesthetic in the language.

How does the poem reflect the Baroque style?

The poem reflects the Baroque style through its complex syntax, ornate vocabulary, and use of hyperbatons, which involve altering the typical word order to create emphasis and elegance. The Baroque period often emphasized intricate details and a heightened sense of drama, which is evident in the poem.

What is the role of hyperbatons in the poem?

Hyperbatons are used to create a more complex, twisted sentence structure. This technique adds a sense of sophistication and emphasizes the contrast between the beauty of the woman and the inevitable decay she will face.

Why does Góngora suggest that the woman enjoy her beauty?

Góngora encourages the woman to enjoy her beauty because, as time passes, her physical appearance will transform and eventually decay. The poem reminds her that youth is fleeting and that she should embrace the present moment before it fades.

How does the poem contrast youth and aging?

The poem contrasts the vibrancy of youth, symbolized by gold, lilies, and roses, with the inevitability of aging, where these beautiful elements transform into silver, broken flowers, and ultimately dust and nothingness.

What does the phrase 'memento mori' mean, and how is it portrayed in the poem?

'Memento mori' is a Latin phrase meaning 'remember that you will die.' In the poem, this is portrayed through the idea that the woman's beauty will eventually fade, and all that remains will be decay, symbolizing the inevitability of death.

What is the significance of the structure of the sonnet?

The structure of the sonnet, consisting of two quatrains and two tercets, prepares the reader for the main message. The quatrains set up comparisons between the woman's beauty and natural elements, while the tercets introduce the central idea of aging and death, delivering the ultimate message of the poem.

What poetic devices are most prominent in Góngora's sonnet?

The most prominent poetic devices in the sonnet include metaphor, hyperbatons, and imagery. These devices work together to create a complex and elegant portrayal of beauty, decay, and mortality.