After Reading The Poem To Roosevelt By Ruben Dario
After Reading The Poem To Roosevelt By Ruben Dario Found In Themode
After reading the poem "To Roosevelt" by Ruben Dario (found in the Modernismo in Latin American American literature page), answer the following prompt in a focused response: How does the speaker of the poem view Latin American countries and their relationship with the U.S.? Provide examples from the poem to back up your point and connect the poet's sentiments to what you have learned in this module. You can draw on previous modules too. Be specific! Warning: There are plenty of online summaries and analyses about the poem, but please uphold academic integrity and do your own work. I am much more interested in YOUR ideas and perceptions than what sites like Schmoop, Cliff Notes, SparkNotes, etc. have to say. When it comes to studying literature, there is no wrong answer (unless you completely misunderstand something). Try your best! For those of you who read Spanish, you might want to find the original Spanish text of the poem for a more thorough understanding of the text in its original language. Protocols: Produce a substantial response to the given prompt (about 200 words - remember, your post should be detailed and specific enough to demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the learning materials, but there's no need to write an ess.. by Friday, 10/21 by 11:59 PM .
Paper For Above instruction
Ruben Dario’s poem "To Roosevelt" offers a critical perspective on Latin America’s relationship with the United States, expressing both disdain and caution. The speaker views Latin American countries as historically subjected to U.S. dominance and intervention. Dario’s tone is confrontational, condemning the imperialist tendencies of the American government, exemplified by lines such as “American eagle!” which symbolizes the U.S. as a predatory force looming over Latin America. The poet sees U.S. influence as destructive, eroding Latin America’s cultural identity and sovereignty. For instance, Dario criticizes the “chains” that bind Latin American nations, which reflects a sense of oppression and loss of independence.
The poem also suggests an awareness of the cultural imperialism that accompanies political control. Dario mocks efforts to impose American values, asserting Latin America’s unique identity and resilience. He perceives the U.S. as a hegemonic power that seeks to dominate, but also as a symbol of modernity that Latin America must carefully navigate. This ambivalence is connected to broader themes in modernismo, emphasizing aesthetics and cultural identity amidst political realities.
Connecting to the broader context of the module, Dario’s sentiments echo Latin American anti-imperialist movements that sought to resist U.S. interference. The poem captures the tension between admiration for progress and disapproval of imperial conquest, reflecting the complex relationship Latin America has historically had with the U.S.—a blend of suspicion, resistance, and cultural assertion.
References
- Dario, R. (1895). "A Roosevelt." In Poemas en prosa.
- Lovell, T. (2010). Modernismo, Latin American Literature, and the Politics of Cultural Identity.
- Candelaria, C. (2013). Latin American Literature and U.S. Imperialism.
- Swanson, P. (2002). The Literature of Latin America: A Critical Reader.
- Ramos, R. (2008). Cultural Resistance and Latin American Identity.
- Lizardi, P. (2005). Imperialism and Postcolonial Studies.
- Bassi, M. (2014). Modernismo and National Identity.
- García Márquez, G. (1999). Living to Tell the Tale.
- McGuiness, M. (2012). Latin American Cultural Nationalism.
- Schwartz, S. (2004). The Political Imagination in Latin American Literature.