Library of Rassegna iberistica

Series | Library of Rassegna iberistica
Edited book | Serenísima palabra
Chapter | La poética del viaje en Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa

La poética del viaje en Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa

Abstract

Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa was one of the most important figures of Spanish exploration of America during the 16th century. He sailed twice to the Strait of Magellan: on the first voyage he was supposed to explore the Strait, on the second he founded two small villages in the Strait in order to prevent the English pirates to sail through easily. Sarmiento de Gamboa’s voyages were full of dangers and especially the second one ended very unfortunately: Sarmiento de Gamboa was held captive in England and France. From each voyage he wrote a report which are considered an interesting source of information, but there are in both of them, and especially in the second one, also elements of fiction. Sarmiento de Gamboa’s reports correspond the category of travel narratives, but in the second one there is also a strong tendency to mythify Sarmiento de Gamboa’s figure in order to show the king his merits and reclaim a reward. This characteristic leads us to other contemporary travel narratives, e.g. Cabeza de Vaca’s and Raleigh’s reports.  


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: July 14, 2015 | Accepted: Nov. 17, 2016 | Language: it

Keywords AutobiographyWalter RaleighÁlvar Núñez Cabeza de VacaJourneyPedro Sarmiento de GamboaTravel narrativesMythificationPoetics


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