Book Epic of Chile: 'Diálogos histórico
literarios de la Conquista'

This book arises from the motivation to recover the vision of the heroic beginnings of our homeland during the periods of the Conquest and the Colony, through the dialogue between two major works of Chilean history and literature of worldwide resonance: La Araucana and the Histórica Relación del Reyno de Chile. It proposes a novel approach that suggests rereading and critically analyzing these texts from a fourfold perspective: PRETEXT (the relevance of approaching these works today), CONTEXT (the work in its world), TEXT (the internal world of the work), and INTERTEXT (its relationship with contemporary views).

This is a multidisciplinary project that involved four faculties, various degree programs, a group of thirteen academics, and around sixty students from three campuses nationwide. We aim to create a synergy among the different academic units of San Sebastián University through collaborative work between professors and students, allowing for the development—from the specificity of each discipline—of a creative, dialogical, and reflective project about our identity and formation as a nation. This effort is in line with the values promoted by San Sebastián University and can be expressed in multiple facets and scopes, both within the academic community and in its connection with the broader society.

This book is the result of an alliance between the private sector and academia, between theoretical reflection and university work, and their dissemination to the public. This union has always resulted in a virtuous circle that builds bridges between both realms and fosters the necessary cultural dialogue in the public square. This conversation can substantially contribute to generating social cohesion and reinforcing national identity, awakening love for the homeland, for our native land, for our people, and for our history and traditions.

This work will help recognize the colonial period as an essential key to the cultural formation, the idiosyncrasy, and the ethos that led to the construction of what we are today, as well as the hidden drives that still move us… or should move us. Thus, we intend for the Colonial era to find a more dignified place in schools and in the educational curriculum, allowing for the legitimate pride of belonging to a courageous, pious, and supportive people. May the legacy of Alonso de Ovalle attract more souls to serve Chile with their talent, creativity, and virtues; may the final cry of Alonso de Ercilla not be in vain and find here the full realization of his immortal dream.

The always loving and fully recognizing gaze of the other, the result of a deep mutual respect born from looking into each other's eyes with admiration but also with indulgence, will allow us—following the example of our authors—to reconcile, build bridges, and move forward in peace toward a better and promising future. Therefore, dear reader, by becoming aware that the mission belongs to each and every one of us, and that we only need to find a way to make it our own, we will be able to honor those who came before us and laid down the guidelines toward the future we now inhabit: an eternal present.

The processes of Conquest and Evangelization in Chile during the 16th and 17th centuries were recorded in two landmark works that influenced later epic literature and the creation of national identities in Spanish America: La Araucana by Alonso de Ercilla, published in Spain in three parts (1569, 1578, and 1589), and the Histórica Relación del Reyno de Chile by the Jesuit Alonso de Ovalle, published in Rome in 1646.

The universal value of La Araucana lies in its being the great epic poem written in the Americas and the Hispanic world that narrates the Spanish conquest of Chile, highlighting the bravery and resistance of the Mapuche people. Ercilla's work not only influenced later literature but also contributed to the formation of Chilean national identity, standing as a landmark of Latin American literature on a par with classic epic poems such as Homer's Iliad or Virgil's Aeneid. La Araucana not only describes the war but also offers a vision of the culture, customs, and beliefs of the Mapuche people, showing respect for their courage and resistance.

On its part, the Histórica Relación del Reyno de Chile is a fundamental work of colonial literature that describes the geography, society, conquest, and history of the kingdom of Chile, as well as the work of the Society of Jesus in the region. Its value lies in being the first chronicle of Chile printed as a book, offering a unique perspective on the country's history and culture from the viewpoint of a son of this land. The work is also valued for its detailed engravings.

It is crucial to know and love these texts of our origins, because in complex and belligerent times, their authors knew how to appreciate the virtues of their people and the goodness of this land. Their works allow us to read profound teachings in a contemporary key, particularly valuable in a present where social and historical wounds make reconciliation difficult, perhaps by failing to legitimize or seriously understand the one who is now seen as an adversary. May this collective work contribute, then, to our re-encounter, to love our homeland and its origins more, and to revalue these lucid authors. Rediscovering and learning with pride from our past is today an imperative.

his work was made possible thanks to the relentless drive and motivation of Luis Cordero Barrera (1951–2024), who deeply dreamed of bringing these works into dialogue, recovering them, enhancing their value, contributing to their dissemination, and sustaining their legacy in the collective memory of Chileans. A posthumous thank you to him for his invaluable heritage.

Sumario del libro