French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Le Soëzec Masson, Who am I? Lorca
Theatre and Performance
Annick LE SCOËZEC MASSON: Who am I? LORCA,
PARDÈS, "Who am I?" series, 2019.
EAN13: 9782867145315.
From the year of the Cuban Disaster (1898) to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936), the short and intense life of Federico García Lorca unfolded in an era marked by political turmoil and prodigious artistic creativity. Born in Fuente Vaqueros near Granada and befriended by Manuel de Falla, Salvador Dalí, and Luis Buñuel, Lorca died prematurely, assassinated at the onset of the conflict. Possessing extraordinary originality, his work draws upon both myth and the avant-garde. Blending a revival of popular poetic traditions with the commitments of surrealism, he quickly propelled himself to the forefront of the Spanish and Latin American literary scenes. Following the Gypsy Balladry and Poet in New York—the fruit of his lucid yet surreal observation of the modern world—his writing turned increasingly toward drama. Composed toward the end of his life, his Andalusian trilogy comprising Blood Wedding, Yerma, and The House of Bernarda Alba masterfully reveals the talent of a writer who seamlessly combined sharp social insight with a profound sense of tragedy and a flamboyant lyricism dedicated to depicting erotic passion and its devastating power. The pain and wandering of unrequited love also permeate the verses of his final, posthumously published collection, Sonnets of Dark Love, which was preceded by the Divan of Tamarit. Through its themes and metaphorical play, Lorca's final work revitalizes the grand tradition of Hispanic baroque poetry.
An agrégée in Spanish and a PhD in General and Comparative Literature, Annick Le Scoëzec Masson has dedicated a portion of her research to the work of Valle-Inclán, whose Sonatas she translated, as well as to the fin-de-siècle period. She is the author of several volumes of poetry inspired, notably, by Indian and Chinese painting. In her novel Mélancolie au Sud (2004), she evokes a childhood in Rochefort haunted by her family's memories of Algeria, where she was born during the French colonial era. Her fresco novel Esplanade Avenue (2010), which shifts between various settings (fin-de-siècle Paris, sultry New Orleans, and the enigmatic Brocéliande forest) and eras (the 1900s and the late 20th century), offers a reflection on the triumphs and tragedies of "modernity." As for her medieval tale Bréchéliant (2017), it serves simultaneously as an echo of the Matter of Britain and a modern variation on the troubadour Jaufré Rudel's concept of amor de lonh (distant love).
This volume examines the trajectory of Federico García Lorca within the broader currents of twentieth-century European literature and the Spanish avant-garde. Annick Le Scoëzec Masson traces how the author bridged traditional Andalusian folklore with surrealist experimentation, establishing a unique voice that resonated across the Spanish and Latin American literary landscapes. The study illuminates major milestones such as Gypsy Balladry and Poet in New York, alongside his celebrated theatrical works, offering readers a clear pathway into a profound creative output shaped by tragedy, myth, and intense lyricism.
Ideal for students, researchers, and general readers seeking a reliable entry point into Hispanic literature, this monograph provides essential context on the historical and artistic upheavals of pre-civil war Spain. By connecting Lorca personal destiny with his literary innovations, the book helps clarify the enduring appeal of his poetry and drama. It serves as a valuable resource for anyone wishing to understand the complex interplay between popular tradition and modernist aesthetics in the work of one of Spain most influential modern writers.