'La Llorona: Prologue\r'

'The fable of La Llorona has a mussiness of disparate variations.  There be some common land elements found in each variation though.  Each story would have a ghost of a cleaning doll crying for her children.  The variations rest with how her children died and the attend of the woman and her straddle of origin.  Some put forward she’s from Mexico and some say she’s from New Mexico or even Texas. Her refer as well varies, from m atomic number 18 to Hilda.  Whatever the case, she etern wholly(a)y ends up wait oning for her dead children.\r\nLa Llorona: Part 1\r\nOnce on that point was a beautiful woman called mare Magdalena.  She hails from the s let onhern t stimulatespeopleship of Sta. genus Rosa where usage runs deep in the veins of all that inhabit within its boundaries, and farther beyond. mare Magdalena causes from a poor farming family who has worked for generations with the land world power of Sta. Rosa, named jade Manuel Esquivel.  Maria Magdalena’s family has been obligated(predicate) to exhaust garmented Manuel’s family for generations and her generation was no different.  The land that Maria Magdalena tills be yearned to Don Manuel’s family for as long as everybody kindle remember.\r\nDon Manuel has mavin child by the name of Jeremiah.  He is a few historic period older than Maria simply he was more kind hearted than his spawn.  He was a swell friend to Maria Magdalena’s older sidekick Juancho, and vie with them when they were growing up.  It was no surprise wherefore when iodine day, Jeremiah and Maria Magdalena found themselves in deal with each other.  Despite warnings from her parents and her brother Juancho, Maria went on with her secret apportionment with Jeremiah, and un ac have a go at itledgen to Don Manuel, Maria Magdalena shortly got pregnant and run down twins †a daughter and a boy.\r\nImmediately later on givin g birth to the twins, Jeremiah had to travel to a far-a fashion city to finish his studies.  Maria Magdalena begged for him non to go nevertheless Jeremiah secured to be covering for her and their children as soon as he lowers his diploma, and he could provide them a great income and source of living, even with disclose the help of his father, Don Manuel.  Maria Magdalena believed him and all his promises.  She faced the arouse of her parents and shame of being an unwed mother.  to a fault her own family, nobody knows who was the father of her children.  They were some(prenominal) quasi(prenominal)ly afraid that they would be banished from the land, if Don Manuel knows of their secret.\r\nAfter four long years of waiting, Maria Magdalena heard the lates that Jeremiah was attack back to Sta. Rosa, and that a big spreadhead would be held for his counter and graduation.  The full-page town was invited and Maria wore the best dress she could afford, and dressed the twins so they could meet their father.\r\nAt long determination, the day of the feast came and the whole town of Sta. Rosa was bedecked with bougainvilleas and other decorations more like that of a fiesta.  Everybody was there.  It was clear though that there is a distinct departure in the rows of table in lie of the presidential table and the tables in the back.  fat families and politicos (politicians) were all seated in the tables bedecked with curiously adorned table cloths while the ones at the back were made of ordinary bamboo, for the die hard belonging to poorer side of the town.\r\nA in particular set stage was withal provided in front of the presidential table liner the crowd for entertainments and announcements from the family of Don Manuel.  Finally, the long awaited arrival of Jeremiah’s car came.  The Mercedes Benz was condition way and Maria Magdalena’s kids were all excited.  Even her parents and brother was t here to parcel out her excitement.  All they want was for Maria Magdalena and Jeremiah to ultimately get married so the kids could ultimately be legitimated.  To their shock and horror though, Jeremiah got out of the car with a beautiful woman in tow.\r\nJuancho steadied Maria Magdalena who was nearly faint with despair.  She cautioned her not to make a scene because there might livelinesslessness be a good report for what they only saw.  However, by and by Jeremiah hugged his parents, he introduced his lady companion and whispered something to Don Manuel’s ears.  Don Manuel was beaming with pride.  He went onstage and got everybody’s attention for a supererogatory announcement.  He went on to say that his countersign not only brought home a diploma but a fiancée as well.\r\nHe announced the adoption and forthcoming wedding ceremony of the engaged friction match a month from the day of the homecoming celebration and invited everybo dy to come again and stay fresh his family’s twin blessings.  Not long after, while everybody was celebrating and enjoying themselves with the free flowing good food and wine, Maria Magdalena’s family silently went on their way without saying a word to the family of the celebrant.\r\nMaria Magdalena most went maniacal with grief.  She waited four long years for Jeremiah to set up his promises and bore the insults that came her and her family’s way when she bore the twins.  For three weeks, Maria Magdalena could hardly get up or eat.  Then one day, she in force(p) stop crying. There was something different in her demeanor.  She looks so calm and there was a kind of peace and calve as she went to meet with the town’s witch doctor.  She didn’t tell her brother or her parents where she went.\r\nThis was something she has to do on her own.  Her parents were so surprised when she express she and the children depart be attend ing the wedding celebration for Jeremiah and his new bride.  She said she had accepted her fate and hardly wants the children to see their father one determination time and they would go on their way to another town far from Sta. Rosa to begin a new life without Jeremiah.  Despite their objections, Maria Magdalena was too goaded to do what she had planned, so they could do energy but stay behind.  Maria Magdalena also borrowed her brother’s horse and comportment.  She cute to go alone with the children.\r\nOn the establish day of the wedding, Maria Magdalena looked so placid in a long sinlessness gown †it nigh looked like a wedding gown †only simpler but nevertheless there was something ethereal close her.  Her children were also dressed in fresh as a flower girl and a ring bearer.  They were some(prenominal) throw in a small woven basket.  The wedding celebrant’s table was positioned precisely so everybody could come roun d and approach the newlyweds.  It was thusly that Maria Magdalena brought her twin children round and Jeremiah couldn’t look at her now in the eye.  He did say that she was as beautiful and the kids are wonderful.\r\nShe just looked at him and she kissed the bride on the cheek.  Before she turned to go, she told Jeremiah to look at the twins closely for this is the oddment time he would be visual perception them.  Jeremiah followed Maria Magdalena and begged for her to meet with him later.  Maria Magdalena relented and they hold to meet on their secret trysting place 30 minutes later.  Maria Magdalena then proceeded to go with a mysterious grin on her face.\r\nAt the appointed time, Jeremiah sneaked out of the celebration and went on to their secret place by the hill.  Maria Magdalena was there and the kids were in the carriage seemingly asleep.  Jeremiah approached and he tested retention Maria Magdalena but she stopped him and said, â€Å"I was unsophisticated when I said to look closely at your children, for it testament be the last time you will see them”.\r\nJeremiah replied â€Å"Can’t we scold this out? I know I have wronged you, but they are my kids too.  I can provide support to them and lock onward be a good father.”  Maria shook her head slowly, tears falling in her cheeks.  She boarded the carriage and said, â€Å"It’s too late Jeremiah.  When you failed to fulfill your promise, I vowed I will always make honest what I tell you. And I was truthful when I said that it would be the last time you will see your kids.  Do you see them?  They lay down so peacefully.\r\nThey will never come to know you or the other half of the declension that runs by their veins come from you and your deceitful race!  You see Jeremiah, that small basket they were holding on to contained the most potent potion one could ever have.  I gave it to them after they met their fa ther for the first and last time.  They shouldn’t encounter anymore waiting for you to come and get us.  They are at last at peace! And you, you shall not come to know our twin angels.  You do not deserve to know them.\r\nGoodbye Jeremiah! May you come to know the grief I had suffered through while waiting for you!”  Maria Magdalena then struck the horse and went on with her dickens dead children.   Jeremiah stood there, shaken by what had just transpired and went down on his knees upon realizing that his children died by the hand of their own mother.  He cried and shook violently.  As the sun sets and darkness surrounded the hill that was once a witness to their promise of an undying sack out.\r\nLa Llorona Part 2: A Brief depth psychology of the La Llorona version\r\nIn re-writing the version of La Llorona, I closely followed the character of an almost similar story of love and treason in the character of Medea (Bates, p 192). I have enco untered the story of Medea a lot earlier than Llorona but as I was going through the various versions license to the southern legend La Llorona, the similarities struck me.  Hence, I applied some similar character traits of Medea by Euripedes (Coleridge) by also naming the character of the legend La Llorona (Hayes), to a name common to all the legend’s version, Maria, and adding a namesake after Medea, Magdalena.\r\n matchless of the similarities of Maria Magdalena and Medea is that of their passionate and almost obsessive devotion to their lovers, no guinea pig what the cost.  Medea betrayed her own father and caused Pelias’ death by his own daughter’s hold (Bates and Coleridge).  Meanwhile, Maria Magdalena has shamed herself and her own family by being an unwed mother in a conservative and religious town (Sta. Rosa).\r\nAnother similarity in the thematic flow of twain stories is that Maria Magdalena was promised by Jeremiah that they will get marr ied when he got back, so did Jason pledged his love to Medea.  twain Medea. and Maria Magdalena bore their lovers two children; both have done so without the realise or blessing of a solemnified marriage. Similarly, both Jason and Jeremiah betrayed their promises of marriage. Like Medea, Maria Magdalena killed her children in revenge to her lovers’ betrayal.  They also both carried their dead children away in a horse carriage without giving their lover the benefit of burying their own children.\r\nThe emphasis I say in their similarities was done so to terminate not just for thematic purposes or display but more so to point out some possibilities that these actions are not limited to legends alone.  Both women were betrayed and deeply hurt by their lovers despite all sacrifices for the man of the life.  Both have shunned tradition just so they could prove their love for their man.  This is a universal theme common in most tragic love stories, and not limi ted to Medea by Euripedes or to La Llorona.\r\nWhat was uncommon though, that adds an almost offbeat dignity to their characters is the murder of their children by their own hands.  It is a well known incident that mothers would give their lives for their children, and Medea and Maria Magdalena murdering their children has a two-pronged purpose. One is to cause organic grief to their lovers in an act of revenge and the other is extreme sacrifice of their own love for their children just so they would be safe from hike up external harm.  Both the mother in Medea and Maria Magdalena would rather that their children die by their own hands than have strangers reach out their babies.\r\nThe impact of the actions of both Medea and Maria Magdalena reaches the meat of one’s being.  It is painful to hypothesise or to even fathom of much(prenominal) possibilities.   Then again, sometimes, truth and its possibilities can be a lot more fantastic and stranger than fiction.\r\nWorks Cited:\r\nArcher, Carol. Living with Strangers in the U.S.A.: Communicating Beyond Culture. Englewoods Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1991.\r\nBates, Alfred. â€Å"Medea: An Analysis of the play by Euripedes”. The Drama: Its History, belles-lettres and Influence on Civilization, vol. 1. London: historical Publishing  Company, 1906.  192-196.\r\nColeridge, E.P. (trans.). Euripedes. Medea. [email protected], 2004.\r\nCordeiro, Paula, Timothy Reagan, and Linda Martinez. Multiculturalism and TQE. special K Oaks: Corwin, 1994.\r\nHayes, Joe. The Weeping Woman (La Llorona). Teaching from a Hispanic Perspective. A Handbook for non-Hispanic braggart(a) Educators.  June 4, 2007. <http://www.literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html>\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n'