Water as the source of creation in José Ángel Valente’s work

Abstract

As a matriarchal symbol, water is the element from which José Ángel Valente’s poetry emerges. But water is not only a matriarchal symbol but also an element of destruction, which is able to break down dogmas and orthodoxies –all of which are considered dangerous to the aesthetic purpose. So, from the depths of this symbolical water, José Ángel Valente is going to search his own poetic voice and to create his own universe of symbols. All these symbols will enable him to join material aspects with those spirituals aspects of his poetry. This descend into matter will be undestood like a process of disolution in order to rethink the poet’s symbolic universe. A comparison and analysis of these aspects will be developed of this paper.