El Apellido Nicolas Guillen English Translation Verified Access

Stylistically, Guillén uses repetition not as decoration, but as a musical, almost drum-like incantation. The chorus "Que me roben el apellido" functions like a bolero or a son refrain. It forces the reader to sit with the pain until the phrase becomes unbearable.

Using the "son" (a Cuban musical genre) to dictate the meter of his verses.

At its core, "El apellido" is a powerful . The poem masterfully portrays the psychological fracture inflicted by colonialism, where a Spanish surname—"las trece letras" (the thirteen letters)—is imposed over a forgotten African past. Guillén's speaker confronts the reader with a series of rhetorical questions that are both defiant and vulnerable, asking: "¿Toda mi piel... viene de aquella estatua de mármol español? ¿También mi voz de espanto, el duro grito de mi garganta?" (Does all my skin... come from that Spanish marble statue? My terrifying voice, the harsh cry of my throat, as well?).

"Don't you know it? It was given to me. / A foreign name, / a stolen identity." el apellido nicolas guillen english translation

A common Spanish given name, equivalent to "Nicholas" in English. It originates from the Greek name Nikolaos , meaning "victory of the people."

Are you sure it is my name?Do you have all my papers?Do you know my grandfather, my great-grandfather?Do you know where my roots are buried?

This story is a prose adaptation by Guillén of the themes in his famous poem "El apellido" (from the collection El son entero , 1947), where he explores the loss of African identity and surnames due to slavery. The version above reflects Guillén's narrative style and central message. Using the "son" (a Cuban musical genre) to

This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.

: Further analysis and translations are available via academic repositories and the Internet Archive.

The struggle to translate "El apellido" is a direct reflection of the struggle within the poem for self-definition. The act of naming—or refusing to be named by others—is the central political and existential act. The question “What is your name?” is not a simple one; it is a mandate imposed by society. Guillén’s speaker has been given a name that represents only half of his heritage, and he demands to know the other half that was stolen. Guillén's speaker confronts the reader with a series

Because I, too, am that Black man. We all are. And we continue looking for our last name, walking through the streets of memory, asking the sun and the moon: Who are we? Where do we come from?

Here is a comprehensive guide to the meaning, structure, and cultural legacy behind the name Nicolás Guillén. The Literal Translation Broken Down