Publication
The Cuban Republic and José Martí: Reception and Use of a National Symbol
Edited by Mauricio A. Font and Alfonso W. Quiroz
José Martí contributed greatly to Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain with words as well as revolutionary action. Although he died before the formation of an independent republic, he has since been hailed as a heroic martyr inspiring Cuban republican traditions. During the twentieth century traditionally nationalistic literature has reinforced an uncritical idealization of Martí and his influence. New approaches have recently explored the formation, reception, uses and abuses of the Martí myth. The essays in this volume analyze the influence of José Martí – poet, scholar and revolutionary – on the formation of often-competing national identities in post-independence Cuba. By exploring the diverse representations and interpretations of Martí, they provide a critical analysis of the ways in which his political and literary legacies have been used to advance contrasting versions of contemporary Cuban reality.
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