A poetics of the seasons: Lorca's early cosmic vision

During his early writings, Federico Garcia Lorca experiences a psychological and spiritual journey which he relates to the four seasons. He assigns to each season a particular color or colors that correspond to its meaning in his cosmic vision. Lorca begins with the springtime blue, representing the dreams and ideals of a young Catholic boy, including marriage and family. As time progresses, he is enveloped by the red summer passion of his awakening sexuality, leading to what he sees as a fall from grace, when he becomes involved with homosexuality, characterized by the color black. An intermediate color, purple, represents both homosexuality, and male and female genitals. Summer leads to autumn, which along with its yellow leaves and grey skies initially brings remorse, repentance, and an attempt to reconcile with God. When Lorca does not feel that God is listening, because his heart is not changed to allow for a heterosexual union and family, he faces the choice between destroying a part of his soul or being a social and religious outcast. During his earliest writings, Lorca chooses martyrdom over ostracism. Unable to rid himself of his passions, he wishes for the white snows of winter to suffocate him, identifying himself with Christ, and seeing his homosexuality as the cross upon which he will be crucified. These themes are studied in Prosa inedita de juventud (1994), Poesia inedita de juventud (1994), and Teatro inedito de juventud (1996), which comprise writings from 1917 to 1921, as well as Impresiones y paisajes (1918), El maleficio de la mariposa (1920), and Libro de poemas (1921). The study of colors and seasons in Lorca's early writing is important in order to understand his symbolism and to show his struggle with homosexual impulses as well as indicating the genesis of what will be the dominant theme throughout the corpus of his writings, that passion leads inevitably to death.