On exiles and emotions

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to test the potential of the methods and concepts of the history of emotions for a renewed and deeper studying of the exile. Focused on the cases of Américo Castro, Pedro Salinas and Fernando de los Rios, the article explores through their correspondence, the emotional mapping that they followed during their exile process. In the exiles, it is warned from the start suffering and emotional stress which led them to quickly locate their spaces for rest and shelter. Once they realized they were going to live as exiles, they built emotional communities in which they deployed, vented their emotions, but also placed their lives, their common experiences and expectations. The family, the professional circle and the references from both colleagues who remained in Spain and from many others (Spanish or not) who shared exile, are easily detected as constructed emotional communities. The exilic process was plenty of ups and downs and emotions, and to live and not just survive, the exiles were forced to design their own emotional reconstruction, their new lifes, not forgetting the old ones, but also filled with content and relief.