Farewell: Federico Garcia Lorca

 

Poem: Farewell by Federico Garcia Lorca

About the Poet

       Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theater director, known for his distinctive style and powerful works that often explored themes of love, death, and identity. Born in Fuente Vaqueros, Spain, Lorca grew up in a cultured environment that deeply influenced his artistic development. He studied in Madrid and later in New York, where he was exposed to innovative artistic movements.

Poem

If I die,

Leave the balcony open.

The boy is eating oranges.

(From my balcony I hear him.)

The reaper scythes the wheat.

(From my balcony I feel it.)

If I die,

Leave the balcony open!

The Theme of the Poem

The theme of "Farewell" by Federico García Lorca revolves around the acceptance of death and the transient nature of life. The poem reflects on the inevitability of mortality and the idea that everything in life must eventually come to an end. Lorca uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey a sense of resignation and farewell to various aspects of life, such as nature, love, and the self. The poem suggests that death is a natural part of the cycle of life and should be accepted with grace and understanding. Overall, the theme of farewell in the poem highlights the beauty and fragility of life, urging readers to appreciate the present moment and accept the inevitability of change.

The Central Idea of the poem

"Farewell" by Federico García Lorca is an emotional and melancholic poem that expresses the speaker's acceptance of his approaching death. The central idea of the poem revolves around themes of mortality, acceptance, and the transient nature of life. Lorca uses vivid and suggestive imagery to convey a sense of finality and resignation, as the speaker bids farewell to various aspects of the world and prepares to depart. The poem can be seen as a meditation on the inevitability of death and the fleetingness of human existence, as well as a reflection on the beauty and transience of life.

Summary of the poem

Farewell by Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) is a romantic lyric expressing a longing for the scenes to feast on even after death. The poem, in a way, expresses the individual's interest in living in the physical world: Earth. The speaker of the poem is asking someone, perhaps one of his family members, to leave the balcony open if he dies, because from his balcony he wants to see the little boy eating oranges and hear the reaper (a person or machine that harvests a crop) harvesting the wheat and singing. The speaker's wish shows that this world is a very enjoyable place. Life here is real, and we must enjoy it. 

The boy eating oranges in the garden and the reaper harvesting wheat refer to common human psychology. A boy is more focused on today. His eating oranges might refer to his adolescence and his interest in fulfilling his hunger.  In the same way, the reaper harvesting wheat signifies the money-minded nature of grown-ups. Neither of them seems to be conscious and concerned about approaching death, as the speaker (old man) is now on a deathbed, waiting to die. To sum up, the farewell here in the poem signifies the ultimate leave from this world, and Death is regarded to be the final and most unpleasant of farewells.

In this poem, the word balcony is repeated four times so that the speaker can have a clear view of the world. The repetition shows that the speaker is more interested in celebrating the pleasures of life rather than death. 

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