Tales of the Alhambra
This book was originally called The Alhambra: a series of tales and sketches of the Moors and Spaniards, a title that neatly describes the theme of the book. It was written by Washington Irving, who went to Spain when Romanticism had just started. Consequently the book features all the characteristic elements that define a Romantic work: popular legends and folklore believed as History and History presented as a tale, nature identified with characters, love and tragedy and flexibility of facts. Although surprisingly, Irving always finish his stories with a happy end, which he ascribes to the Sons of the Alhambra (poor people that were living there by that time).
Irving presents the Alhambra as a dilapidated old palace, symbol of the splendour of the Moors. Also, Irving, a dreamer, believes that the Moors were thought to be an ignominious culture and he defends them through his sketches. He thoroughly examines the confrontation of Christians and Moors, and finds legends that depict both Spaniards and Moors as tricksters. Besides, Irving narrates the construction of the Alhambra and the story of its founders and old inhabitants in a very enjoyable way, although sometimes there is no historical base for his tales.
The other legends are always about some enchanted treasure, found by some poor folk that have to obtain it fighting against evil, embodied in majors, robbers or supernatural powers. Usually there is also an element of love.
The best thing about this book is that Irving is able to transmit to the reader his genuine passion about the Alhambra, to such an extent that the reader really becomes familiar with places he or she had not ever been. Also, by the end, I had grown to like the characters without realizing it, and I was as sad as the author when I had to leave the Alhambra. I liked it more than I thought I would.
The TBR list
Irving presents the Alhambra as a dilapidated old palace, symbol of the splendour of the Moors. Also, Irving, a dreamer, believes that the Moors were thought to be an ignominious culture and he defends them through his sketches. He thoroughly examines the confrontation of Christians and Moors, and finds legends that depict both Spaniards and Moors as tricksters. Besides, Irving narrates the construction of the Alhambra and the story of its founders and old inhabitants in a very enjoyable way, although sometimes there is no historical base for his tales.
The other legends are always about some enchanted treasure, found by some poor folk that have to obtain it fighting against evil, embodied in majors, robbers or supernatural powers. Usually there is also an element of love.
The best thing about this book is that Irving is able to transmit to the reader his genuine passion about the Alhambra, to such an extent that the reader really becomes familiar with places he or she had not ever been. Also, by the end, I had grown to like the characters without realizing it, and I was as sad as the author when I had to leave the Alhambra. I liked it more than I thought I would.
The TBR list