Biblical hyperbole in César Vallejo

Abstract

In addition to being an essential element in his poetry, Biblical sources in Vallejo help to understand the evolution and formal changes his language experienced. These changes, however, did not undermine the internal cohesion of his work; on the contrary, they nurture it. This article reviews the criticism of Vallejo’s religiosity/irreligiosity and examines the distinct functions of the Biblical references contained in his work, from Los heraldos negros (1918) to España, aparta de mí este cáliz (1939), with special emphasis on the hyperbolic function.