The Tree Motif: a Myth Textual Reading of Desolación (1922) by Gabriela Mistral

Resumen

In Desolación (1922), Gabriela Mistral’s lyrical subject is characterised by abandonment, through the central image of the solitary tree. Critics connect the accent on desolateness with Mistral’s biography: the longing for the homeland and the loss of a deceased lover. This article proposes a myth textual interpretation of Mistral’s work, combining Julia Kristeva’s concept of the genotext with a myth critical reading according to Gilbert Durand. The poetic self is connected with arboreal figures, such as the cross and the natural tree, and the archetypes of the Great Mother, the Son and the tree. They indicate the expectation of recovery, whether it is vegetal renovation or spiritual resurrection. Thus, the results of the analysis extend the accepted interpretation of Desolación: the lyrical subject is not content with thematizing loss but intertwines images that refer to vegetal and spiritual rebirth.