Luis Hernández: la poesía como ciencia de la vida

Abstract

In this thesis I read the poetry of Luis Hernández through a scientific lens. We know Hernández was fascinated by physics, mathematics and medicine, and we also know his writing project was developed between the 60’s and the 70’s, key years for the space race. The first chapter focuses on the presence of astronomy and astrophysics in Las constelaciones (1965), the third book of poetry by Hernández. Mythology and technology share space in Hernández’s poems and foster a panoramic view of the Earth as seen from the stars. The second chapter’s goal is to analyze the work and life of Albert Einstein. Hernández admired Einstein’s theories but he also highlighted the impact of Einstein’s scientific work, of which the atomic bomb is the most controversial symbol. Finally, in the third chapter I link the image of Faust (the literary character) to German scientists during the 20th century. Starting in his first poetry notebooks the Peruvian poet talks about his fascination with the scientific world, but he also keeps away from some scientific circles and practices. I finish this thesis reflecting on the hope Hernández put in science, but only when it represented a path to purity (as Goethe understood it), creation and sensibility.