Critical Approaches to Rubén Dario by Keith Ellis (review)

HUMANITIES 411 describe the rise and fall of a semi-nomadic society that lasted for little more than two generations. 'For almost seventy years, or roughly a single human life, the Metis people lived in their pride as lords of the western prairies' - and then the coming of white settlers and the disappearance of the buffalo herds spoiled all that. With sympathy and nostalgic regret Woodcock tells of the swift destruction of a distinctive culture that prevailed in an egalitarian community practising a primitive and direct democracy. Perhaps the most fascinating chapter in the first half of the book is the description of 'The Little Republic of St. Laurent/ which Dumont and his friends established in 1873 on the political principles of the Metis buffalo hunt for the governance of a thousand people, and which functioned successfully with Dumont as president until the Mounted Police came in 1875 to take over from the 'Republic' responsibility for law and order in the territory. Dumont emerges from the book as the 'natural man par excellence,' admirably suited by his physical skills and strength, his practical good sense, his generosity and his fairness, to be a leader of his people. (He had been elected leader of the Saskatchewan buffalo hunt when he was only twenty-six.) He knew in 1885 that he could not win a war against the Canadian government but he believed that a well-conducted guerilla campaign, especially in co-operation with the Indian bands, might bring that government to its senses and lead it to a sympathetic consideration of the just claims of the native and Metis communities. He was probably right but Riel, to whom he was unfailingly loyat wrecked the plan by hesitation, indecision, and lack of practical judgment. There are some small flaws in this well-written and valuable book. There is an error in the end-paper maps which puts Fish Creek on the west side of the South Saskatchewan River; the first publication of R.C. Russell's The Carlton Trail was 1955, not 1970 as suggested in the bibliographical notes; lack of documentation for quotations sometimes makes it difficult to verify them. The book has no index. (CARLYLE KING) Keith Ellis, Critical Approaches to Ruben Daria. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1974,170, $12·50 This is a lucidly written and splendidly informative addition to the bibliography of the great Nicaraguan Ruben Dario (1867-1916), easily the most distinguished poetic voice of Latin America of his era and one of the most significant of all time. The six chapters that constitute the main body of Professor Ellis's study identify the major trends among the mass of critical material which, we are told, is probably greater than that 'dealing with any other figure in the history of Spanish-American literature .' 412 LETTERS IN CANADA Chapter I examines the biographical approach and sums up the biographers ' findings. Chapter II probes the criticism based on sociological criteria and delves into the important question of literary Americanism in relation to the Modernist movement. Chapter III falls into two parts: The first enquires into the duration of the Modernist movement and Dario's rightful position in it, while the second takes up the tricky matter of potential influences and sources. Chapter IV comes to grips with those studies that stress intrinsic elements such as philosophy, themes, motifs, and language, and Chapter V shows how analysis of individual works as 'coherent' aesthetic units can serve as a fruitful method ofinterpretation and evaluation. Ellis applies his method to a perceptive structural analysis of three of Dario's writings, incorporating material from two articles that had appeared in Spanish in 1967. Chapter VI, dealing with general assessments of Dario's place in literary history, is followed by a succinct consideration of Dario's view of literature and literary criticism. An exhaustive bibliography rounds out the volume. Ellis sums up, classifies, analyses, and draws valid conclusions, displaying common sense, good literary taste, insight, and academic discipline . On the strength of his evidence he leans towards the theory that, although Dario's death marked the end of Modernism, its impact insured that 'many of its elements ... continue to serve other practitioners' (p...