The Symbolism of the Wind and the Moon in Romancero gitano

Abstract

In this article, we propose a reading of Romancero gitano in the light of traditional Hispanic symbolism and the concept of “naturalistic religiosity.” We focus specifically on analyzing two symbols (the wind and the moon), which are fundamental both in Lorca’s world and in the traditional Spanish lyric and “naturalistic religiosity.” The intention is to observe how the poet can transform traditional symbols to create avant-garde images that, as we try to demonstrate, can lose their oral and popular character, but never its traditional essence. Moreover, we try to point out some coincidences between the symbolism of the classic Spanish lyric and that of “naturalistic religiosity,” which, in turn, are the raw material in the process of creating Romancero gitano. In the end, what we want is to enrich the reading of a collection of poems whose evocative and symbolic expression is a fountain of endless interpretations.