La cuarterona (Clásicos de la literatura)

by Alejandro Tapia y Rivera

Love is denied for differences of race in this three-act play written by the father of Puerto Rican literature. In Havana, Julia, the protagonist, is a quadroon who falls in love with a wealthy white man, Carlos, who is set to marry a noble daughter. The arranged marriage has financial motivations and is not based on love, and Carlos's mother sees Julia as a threat to her aristocratic lineage. Tapia y Rivera demonstrates his support for women's rights as well as his position against slavery in this late 19th-century melodrama.

La cuarterona es un drama en tres actos cuya trama se desarrolla en La Habana y trata sobre la discriminación racial y las desigualdades sociales que imperaban en el siglo XIX. Julia, la protagonista de la obra, es una cuarterona: una persona nacida en América de mestizo y española. En esta obra, el temor del blanco hacia el negro y la necesidad de mantener posiciones y exigencias sociales, impiden la culminación de los amores entre julia y Carlos.    Alejandro Tapia y Rivera es considerado el padre la literatura puertorriqueña.

Genres: School

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Dusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this play a few weeks ago but held off writing a review due to Thanksgiving and general poor time management. "La cuarterona," which I guess would translate into English as "the quadroon" is Tapia y Rivera's contribution to the anti-slavery writings of the nineteenth-century Caribbean, and it stages its critique of the institution in a comedy of manners that can be summarized thusly: White bookish dude wants to marry bookish slave woman he grew up with who is "black" but not overly so. White dude's mama is widowed and looking to ensure her retirement by marrying her son into a wealthy (white) family. Bookish slave woman must now decide whether to reveal her feelings for her master, knowing they could never be happy, or forever hold her peace. Misunderstandings, broken feelings, and deceptions ensure. It's an enjoyable romp -- perhaps too enjoyable to be taken seriously as a critique of slavery.

[Sofia Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read this for one of my college courses and I was surprised by how fast of a read this is. I generally liked the story but, did not like the ending due to it's tragic note. Regardless, i'd like to see this theatre play live someday because both Carlos and Julia portray such emotion in their lines so, it would be interesting to see it all on stage.

[booksxlatibule]

read this for a class and yes, im counting it

[Angelisse Monge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, i read this for school. Yes, im counting it.

[Sonia Moure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragedy

I read this play with total dedication. Would love to der this play in a theater. Loved all the
characters,

[Hermes Aponte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting fast read that depicted Caribbean life as it was before entering the "Post-modern" era. The racial prejudice, the mentality,and the values were all accurate and on point. I was very impressed by the plot twists and I would recommend anyone who liked this play to read Francisco Arriví's "Vejigantes". I have nothing bad to say about this book and the reason I did not give it 5 stars is because plays are very difficult to rate as a 5 star read, except when it is something extraordinary, and in this case, the play was excellent but not "magnificent". Still, this is a very quick read that everybody should read and assimilate.

[Zoraida Rivera Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gran obra teatral del Siglo XIX del gran escritor y dramaturgo Alejandro Tapia y Rivera que plasma la realidad del racismo en Puerto Rico durante esa época. Mantiene el interés y nos deja con un final
inesperado.

Great play of the nineteenth century, written by the great writer and playwright Alejandro Tapia y Rivera who present the racism in Puerto Rico during that time. It keeps the reader interested and leaves him with an unexpected ending.

[Joel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It, kind of, had potential, but then it became a monotonous blur of the same recurring events. The end was a slightly expected double plot twist. It is still a very fast read and you won't have time to regret reading it.

[Claudia R · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot twists though. Definitely entertaining.