María · Chapters

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Chapter companions for María by Jorge Isaacs.

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Chapter 1
Translator's Note
The translator's note explains the decision to leave certain Cauca localisms untranslated, as they have no English or Spanish equivalent, and acknowledges the assistance of Señor Carlos Martinez Silva LL.D. in the translation process.
Chapter 2
María
This opening chapter introduces the novel's setting and narrator, Efraín, as he returns to his native valley after years of absence. The narrative is rich with sensory descriptions of the landscape, evoking memory and emotion. Efraín's arrival is marked by a deep sense of homecoming, and he is immediately reunited with his family, including his father and his beloved María, setting the stage for the story's central relationships and themes.
Chapter 3
I
Efraín recalls his departure from home as a boy to study in Bogotá. The night before, his sister cuts a lock of his hair as a keepsake, and he is filled with sorrow and foreboding. The next morning, his father must loosen his mother's embrace, and María, his cousin, shyly bids him farewell. As he rides away with his father, he looks back and sees María behind the creeper by his mother's window.
Chapter 4
II
Efraín returns to his native valley after six years, overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape and the joy of reuniting with his family. He is particularly struck by María, who now appears as a young woman, and the chapter captures the emotional homecoming and the first stirrings of his love for her.
Chapter 5
III
The family gathers for supper, with Efraín seated opposite María. The evening is filled with quiet observations and subtle glances. Afterward, Efraín is shown his room, which María has decorated with flowers. Their brief exchange reveals a growing connection.

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Translator's Note

María

I

II

III