The identity of the gypsy in the poetry of José Heredia Maya

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to delve into the deconstruction of the Gypsy archetype through the poetry of José Heredia Maya. This is presented as an original proposal for the renewal of the perception of Gypsy culture in the realm of Spanish poetry. To achieve this, the research focuses on his works "Penar Ocono" (1973), "Camelamos naquerar" (1976), and "Charol" (1983), in which the author from Granada advocates for the inclusive and open identity of his people, as posited by his poetic voice. In this way, an attempt is made to address the questions that underlie the present research: how does the poet deconstruct the existing archetypes and stereotypes about the Gypsy people? What traits does he highlight as shaping the identity of his people? Thus, by understanding the mechanisms that deconstruct the archetype, the work aims to achieve two proposed objectives: to highlight the figure of José Heredia Maya and the originality of his relatively understudied work, and to acquire the tools to disable the springs of the Gypsy archetype, which still persist in contemporary society.