Gabriela Mistral – Chile’s national symbol for women

Gabriela Mistral found fame in the two most common, and perhaps only socially acceptable areas for women in early 20^th-century Latin America: writing and teaching. Mistral was one of the early voices for women and a national figure both in Chile and Latin America. She was the first Latin American author awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945 and was a prominent figure in the field of education.

Mistral was born Lucila Godoy Alcayaga April 7, 1889 in Vicuña, Chile. Mistral taught for many years, quickly advancing the ranks. At the same time, she also published her first poems in local newspapers before gaining widespread attention for her work “Sonetos de la muerte” in 1914. Mistral gained greater fame with the publication of Desolación (1922), Ternura (1922), Tala (1938), and Lagar (1954). Themes in her works include love, heartbreak, maternity, and sorrow based on her own life experiences as a single woman and teacher. She also served on international councils for education and held various professorships at prestigious universities around the world before passing away on January 10, 1957.

Scholars debate the meaning and legacy of Mistral and her works. “Poema del hijo” represents one side of this debate while “La maestra rural” represents the other side. In “Poema del hijo,” Mistral shows her maternal side and expresses desire for a son/child, “¡Un hijo, un hijo, un hijo! Yo quise un hijo tuyo.” Later in the poem, she writes “Sus brazos en guirnalda a mi cuello trenzados; el río de mi vida bajando a él, fecundo” where one can see the vivid imagery of a mother holding her child. For this, some scholars believe her works portray women’s traditional roles of motherhood. Although Mistral lacked traditional women’s role as a wife or mother, it was socially acceptable because instead of mothering her own children, she instead was a mother-figure to the country.

On the other side, scholars see her works as empowering women, often defending children, indigenous groups, and the poor. She is seen as an independent figure who was never tied down as a wife or mother. One can see this side in the poem, “La maestra rural” where she colorfully describes the challenges of the women teacher. She sympathizes with teachers who make little money, but whose work is above mankind as she writes, “La Maestra era pobre. Su reino no es humano” and later, “¡Pobre mujer herida!” Clearly, the life of a women teacher was not easy. Further, she uses the words “Campesina” and “labriego” in the poem to highlight the struggles of others. At the same time, she praises the women teacher as she writes “La Maestra era alegre” and their “el pecho generoso.” Through her poetry, Mistral shares both the joys and struggle of women teachers as well as mentioning other minority classes.

Both poems can also be interpreted as semi-autobiographical of Mistral as she never had children and was a teacher. No matter the interpretation, both poems highlight the gift Mistral had to evoke and describe powerful emotions about the human experience through her writing.

Works Cited:

Foundation, Poetry. “Gabriela Mistral.” Text/html. Poetry Foundation, February 11, 2020. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/gabriela-mistral.

Memoria Chilena: Portal. “Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957) – Memoria Chilena.” Accessed February 11, 2020. http://www.memoriachilena.gob.cl/602/w3-article-3429.html.

Memoria Chilena: Portal. “Gabriela Mistral, 1922 – Memoria Chilena.” Accessed February 11, 2020. http://www.memoriachilena.gob.cl/602/w3-article-99061.html.

“La Maestra Rural – Poemas de Gabriela Mistral.” Accessed February 11, 2020. https://www.poemas-del-alma.com/la-maestra-rural-mistral.htm.

O’Connor, Erin. Mothers Making Latin America: Gender, Households, and Politics since 1825. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley Blackwell, 2014.

“Poema Del Hijo de Gabriela Mistral – Poemas de Amor.” Accessed February 11, 2020. http://www.poemadeamor.org/poema-poema-del-hijo/4282.

By Emily Beuter