Book Description:
Amalia by José Mármol is a foundational work of Argentine literature and one of the earliest political novels in Latin America. First published in 1851, the novel is set during the dictatorship of Juan Manuel de Rosas and follows the story of Eduardo Belgrano, a young man persecuted by the tyrannical regime, who finds refuge and love in the home of Amalia, a cultured and compassionate woman.
Blending romance with political commentary, Amalia exposes the terror, censorship, and violence of Rosas’s authoritarian rule while celebrating ideals of liberty, reason, and enlightened resistance. Through its vivid depiction of Buenos Aires society and its sharply drawn characters, the novel critiques the dangers of despotism and the loss of personal freedom.
Part love story, part revolutionary statement, Amalia remains a key literary document of 19th-century Argentina and a passionate plea for democracy and civil rights in the face of oppression.
