The Late Styles of Juan Ramón Jiménez: A Comparison of Finality in Espacio and Dios deseado y deseante

Abstract

Death and finality permeate the whole corpus of Juan Ramón Jiménez. However, the treatment of the topic shifts towards the end of his life. This article compares the styles and approaches to death in Juan Ramón Jiménez’s Espacio and Dios deseado y deseante using Edward Said and Theodor Adorno’s writings on ‘late style’. Espacio is ‘late’ in its fragmentation and rupture with the poet’s earlier poetics. However, the poetry of Dios deseado y deseante nuances what had been put forth in Espacio, while offering a contrasting view of death, finality and spirituality that responds to questions that Espacio opened.