Hacia la subjetividad del mundo vegetal en la prosa de Mercè Rodoreda

Abstract

The plant as asubject in Mercè Rodoreda’s writings

In Mercè Rodoreda’s novels and short stories one finds numerous references to plants and flowers. Close connections between these references and literary characters especially the female ones have been noted and analysed by many literary critics. Most of these studies argue that the author considered the natural world as akind of mirror that reflects human behaviours and feelings. In the article we study the way plants are presented in the novel Jardí vora el mar, the collection Flors de debò and the short story “Paràlisi.” We show that in these works the plants are not mere instruments of the description of human world but form aseparate universe on their own. We suggest that this approach to the natural world — both animal and vegetal — in Mercè Rodoreda’s writings could lead to anew reading of some of her works.