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Gertrudis Gomez De Avellaneda (1814-1873) Was Born In Cuba And Split Her Life Between Spain And Her Native Island. Author Of Original Novels, Short Stories And Drama, She Wrote -sab- (1836-1841), Considered The First Cuban Novel About Slavery In The Island.within Its Plots And Subplots -sab- Comprises A Modern Message, As Gertrudis Gomez De Avellaneda, A Highly Prized Author During Her Active Literary Life, Exposes And Advocates For The Principles Of Freedom And Equal Human As Well As Feminine Rights By Means Of A Highly Romantic Story, Building Up A Message That Still Stands Valid Today, As In The Contemporary World Human Rights Are Subject Of Violent Violations Every Day.the Novels First Edition (1841), Published In Spain, Suffered The Islands Colonial Government Censorship. Upon Arrival To La Habana The Copies Were Seized At The Cuba Royal Customs, The Official Censor Claiming That They -express Doctrines Subversive To The Islands Slavery System-.however, The Vast Majority Of The Modern Criticism Has Resisted Classifying This Avellaneda Writing As -anti-slavery-.aiming To Rectify This Conception, Prof. Ivan A.schulmans Foreword To This New Edition Highlights The Anti-slavery Elements Imbedded In The Text, All The While Accepting That The Authors Voice Provenience Is The -center-, Or -metropolis-, Thus Her Speech Shows Many Aspects That Can Be Seen To Agree With The Cuban -sugar Aristocracy- Slavery Supporting Stance.the Results Of This Duality Is A Two Faced Novel, A Story Full With Cogitations And Contradictions About Race, Color, -whitening-, Slavery And Feminism, Intertwined In A Transgressor Speech Deeply Rooted In The Xix Century Cuba.
The novel centers on the life of Sab, a slave in nineteenth-century Cuba, whose internal struggle for freedom and equality is complicated by his unrequited love for his mistress. Sab navigates the rigid social hierarchies of the colonial sugar aristocracy, facing both the physical constraints of his enslavement and the psychological burden of his position. The narrative explores the intersection of race, gender, and class, utilizing a romantic framework to critique the systemic injustices of the era. Through its complex plot and subplots, the story examines the tension between personal desire and the oppressive structures of the colonial government.
Modern literary criticism has engaged in a significant re-evaluation of this work, moving away from earlier dismissals of its anti-slavery intent. Scholars now focus on the duality of the text, noting how the author's background in the colonial metropolis creates a complex, often contradictory narrative voice. The novel is frequently analyzed for its bold, transgressive speech regarding the rights of both enslaved people and women within the rigid structures of the nineteenth century. By highlighting the tension between the author's romantic style and her radical subject matter, contemporary readers find a text that remains relevant to ongoing discussions about human rights and systemic inequality.
Page Count:
112
Publication Date:
2003-01-01
Publisher:
Krames
ISBN-10:
0000111600
ISBN-13:
9780000111609
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