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Victor, I have taken these quotes from pages xxvii. En los ultimos años del siglo muchos de los hijos y nietos de conquistadores estaban reducidos a la miseria. Formaban o pretendian formar una especie de aristocracia que desdeñaba todo comercio, granjeria o trabajo honesto y faltandoles ya las encomiendas, se alampaban a los empleos con tal furia que no dejaban respirar a los virreyes y aun sofocaban a la corte con diluvio de memoriales y relaciones de meritos. Para todo se creian aptos por solo su abolengo. Eran en suma, una nube de vagos con humos de grandes señores que veian de reojo a los españoles llegados despues de la conquista porque con mejor acuerdo se dedicaban a trabajar en el comercio o en la labor de la tierra. De su industria sacaban comodidades que los de alcurnia de conquistadores veian con envidia, y la desahogaban con morder despiadadamente a los que llaman
advenedizos, aprovechando el lado ridiculo de algunos embusteros arrogantes que llegaban contando maravillas de sus riquezas y linajes cuando a legua descubrian la burda tela de su baja y estrecha cuna. Asi comenzaba desde temprano el odio entre españoles y criollos. Este hecho que señala Icazbalceta se fue generalizando y acentuando dia tras dia. While I agree with you that this is not the primary focus of the book it does allude to this phenomenon early on in the history of Mexico. Alicia
"v.h.villarreal" <raices_regias@...> wrote: Alicia,
A couple of things: the book you refer to deals with a much earlier period of Mexico's history. La Antorcha Encendida has to do with the Independence period.
Your review of Baltazar Dorantes de Carranza's
book, "Sumaria Relación" taken from its introduction threw me a little off balance with all those adjetives applied to the creoles like "lazy arrogant vagrants", etc.
I have that same book and the text itself is definitely not about that. In fact, Dorantes de Carranza was himself a descendant of one of the conquistadors and he was among those who asked for some concessions, so how could he judge so harshly his own peers? It is obvious that generalizations like those in your review can lead to a wrong impression.
For another perspective on that matter I recommend Mazzotti's article "Resentimiento criollo y nación étnica".
Victor
--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Alicia Carrillo <alliecar@p...> wrote: > > Steve, > > I wonder if these historical novelas may relate to what I am reading in a book titled; Sumaria Relacion de las Cosas de la
Nueva España. > This book in addition to documenting the names of the early conquerors of New Spain describes life in the 16th century. It tells how the creoles, the sons and grandsons of the early conquerors adopted a false sense of aristocracy refusing to take on any meaningful, gainful employment. Instead they opted to try to put pressure on the Marquis or Viceroy who had all but ignored them to see if they could or would be given land grants or land holdings as their fathers or grandfathers had been granted. > > They suffocated the Viceroy with letters and pleas for positions of authority within the government. They submitted many letters expounding their personal merits without proving it through their deeds and actions. They were disdainful of gainful employment, commerce or menial labor even though they were lacking concessions or land grants. If the Viceroy or Marquis did
issue any jobs or titles the Creoles just overwhelmed and suffocated the government that all but ignored them. > > They became lazy arrogant vagrants with nothing left but a false sense of aristocracy believing that because of their proud lineage, it afforded them a certain right and given apptitude. When the new Spaniards arrived they became envious and suspicious of the new arrivals who were willing to work in commerce, the land and whatever was available. From this hard work and dedication these new arrivals earned a comfortable living doing the work that the early settlers of ancestry and lineage of the early conquerors were unwilling and disdainful of doing. The Creoles would ridicule the new Spaniards with their lies, bravado and arrogance telling tales of wealth, riches and embellishing their lineage, and so the hate and envy began. > > While I have not
seen the novelas I do recall years ago seeing snippets of just such scenarios in some movies when we would go to the Mexican theatre with my parents in downtown San Jose as small children. It would be interesting to hear from those who have seen the novelas to see if this might be the script or if it is something other than this. > > > Feliz Navidad to all..............Alicia Avelar Olmos de Carrillo >
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