Optics and Phantasmagoria in the Poetry of José de Espronceda

Abstract

This study reads the recurrence of optical, visual, and spectacular imagery in the work of Spanish poet José de Espronceda in light of the “visual revolution” that radically transformed the way reality was perceived and represented between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Espronceda was educated in a context rich in scientific and spectacular practices (optical devices, experimental physics cabinets, and shows based on luminous and phantasmagoric illusions) that characterised this revolution. He then lived in exile in European capitals where these practices flourished. This article aims to show how Espronceda integrated a true visual vocabulary into his poetics, transforming real optical phenomena into metaphors of illusion, instability, and the deceit inherent in existence.