Publications

The essay as a literary genre was pioneered in contemporary Galician literature by Rosalía de Castro (1837-1885). Her introductions to both Cantares gallegos (1863) and Follas novas (1880) represent a clear departure from the standard prologue, while highlighting the profoundly self-reflective and intentional nature of her work as a whole; her intellectual self-awareness and conception of a literature at the service of the Galician language and nation.

Her voice was, likewise, one of the first to draw attention to the question of gender in Galician society, with her insightful, progressive analysis of the female condition, defence of her fellow woman, and solidarity with the double discrimination suffered by Galician women under the prevailing system. She was the first feminist of the Galician nation. Her work and character reveal a perfect harmony of intentions between the elevation of the language of her people, and her defence of women and the whole Galician nation. With a rebel cry against oppression in all its forms, she announced like no other writer of her generation the apotheosis of the downtrodden.