Morriña (Homesickness)

Abstract

Doña Aurora, a wealthy widow of Galician origin, lives with her only son, Rogelio, in front of the University of Madrid, the institution where he studies. At Doña Aurora's house, old friends and colleagues of her husband go to talk almost every afternoon. One day a young Galician girl named Esclavitud appears at the house asking Doña Aurora to serve in her home. Esclavitud works in the house of some Andalusian acquaintances of Doña Aurora, but suffers from homesickness, so she asks to move to the home of the Galician widow. After assuring himself that the young woman is a good worker and respectable, he welcomes her into the service, and soon takes a liking to her for her manners, diligence, and discretion. During a visit to some relatives, Doña Aurora suffers a fall and, later, a concussion that forces her to stay in bed for a few days. During his mother's convalescence, Rogelio begins to get closer to Esclavitud and feelings begin to develop between them. Once Doña Aurora has recovered, she returns to the afternoon gatherings, where one of her acquaintances notices the relationship between Rogelio and Esclavitud and puts Doña Aurora on guard. This, so that the feelings between the two do not go further, sends Esclavitud to work at the home of another of his fellow party, who is captivated by the girl, and decides to go to Galicia for the summer with his son. Rogelio promises Esclavitud that he will do something to prevent them from being separated. However, Esclavitud contemplates without being seen how mother and son take the train to Galicia. When she is left alone in Madrid, it is not known how, she dies. Translated from Spanish by Mary J. Serano