Ildefonso A. Bermejo’s travel writings: glimpses of South America in 19th century Spanish magazines

Abstract

After his seven-year stay in Paraguay (1855-1862), the Spanish intellectual Ildefonso Antonio Bermejo planned to become a professional travel writer, and he managed to publish some of his productions in important Spanish magazines. In order to increase the attractiveness of his articles, Bermejo adopts an eminently narrative writing, besides fictional stories and plagiarism. On the other hand, in his most personal lines, Bermejo shows a respectful attitude towards natives which is far unusual in the nineteenth-century travel literature.