Juan de Mairena

Antonio Machado’s Juan de Mairena is a singular work that bridges poetic and philosophical traditions, crafting an imaginative space where art, pedagogy, and metaphysics converge. As much an exploration of the Spanish soul as it is a reflection of the poet himself, this work reveals Machado's profound preoccupation with identity, otherness, and the essence of human experience. Through the voice of the fictional professor Juan de Mairena and his teacher Abel Martín, Machado delves into questions of being, time, and Spain’s cultural heritage, presenting a tapestry of aphorisms, dialogues, and musings that blend irony, introspection, and wit. This translation, including excerpts from The Apocryphal Songbooks, introduces English readers to the depth and complexity of Machado’s intellectual and artistic achievement.

The book offers more than a literary experience; it serves as an intimate dialogue with Machado's inner world, colored by the tragedies and reflections of his life. Mairena becomes not just a mouthpiece for the poet’s philosophical inclinations but a "complementary" self, allowing Machado to explore ideas he might not have expressed directly. This duality of creator and persona, coupled with Machado’s blend of existential musings and Spanish cultural critique, creates a work that is at once deeply personal and broadly resonant. As this translation demonstrates, Juan de Mairena is not merely a product of its time but a timeless inquiry into the nature of human thought, creativity, and the ineffable connections between them.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1963.