Embraced by the Sea. The Metaphorical Use of the Sea and the Symbology of Water in Spanish and Hispanoamerican Poetry

Abstract

In Greek mythology and classical culture, there has always been a relationship between the sea and eroticism. Yet, European literature has been drawn away from this influence due to the weight of Jewish-Christian culture, besides the Arabic tradition on the Peninsula. Therefore, the sea in poetry has had a marginal role for hundreds of years. Even when the Renaissance artists rediscovered Hellenic culture, the representation of the ocean didn’t regain its vitality. It did appear in metaphors or comparisons and as general scenery, but still as a minor subject in poetry in general and especially in erotic poetry. Only throughout the 20th century, did the sea manage to develop its sensual potential and to lose the reputation of a cold and dangerous space. Not only in Spanish, but particularly Latin America erotic poetry, offers countless examples celebrating the dynamism of the sea through all senses.