Ancient times and modernity in Ariel of Jose Enrique Rodó

Abstract

The following paper seeks to reflect around the tension between what included and what’s excluded from de idea of the Latin American in Ariel of José Enrique Rodó, taking as the main axis the references to the antiquity and it’s relation with the present of the author: the modernity, or it’s seek. There are, mainly, two ways in which this takes materiality, first there’s an highly valuable antiquity for his present, it’s humanistic and its legacy and importance are, to his present, still fundamental and inspiring; and there´s another antiquity that’s shown as feeble, almost dead; away from the harmony and the ideal; and that many times is presented as the example of the negative conducts and practices, this are the “oriental” cultures. In this way, the following writing looks to reflect on why this standings, as well as trying to figure out the relevance that de ancient has to the modern.