Conclusion

Summary

We have seen that Rodó was raised in a national context influenced by spiritualist and idealist philosophy and within politically turbulent times that were later followed by a period of stable democratic institutions which he himself helped to establish. Privately, his home provided both liberal ideas and a strong Catholic faith that were to leave a mark on Rodó as he grew up and became an adult. Signs of a subliminal religiosity beyond church dogma continued to his very last days – something that has not been recognized in received criticism of his work. It is argued here that this religious side of Rodó, which can be seen explicitly in his private writings about poetry, ethics and sexuality, provides the main explanation behind his stance in Liberalismo y jacobinismo.

Rodó's entry into public writing involved close links with some of the great Hispanic intellectuals of the time, including Leopoldo Alas (Clarín) and Rubén Darío, on both of whom he wrote insightful criticism; he co-edited an important literary journal and taught a wide-ranging course on world literature at the national university; during this time, the last lustrum of the nineteenth century, he acquired a remarkable literary knowledge and sharpened his understanding of idealism. This preparation fed into his most famous work, Ariel, a book which, as we noted in Chapters 4 and 10, inspired a movement which in many ways still lives, as signs of Arielism – a tendency to seek and respect high standards in ethics and aesthetics – can be seen in many spheres of life today, both in Uruguay and beyond. In other chapters, we have covered Rodó's defence of consensual politics; his advice to both individuals and nations to pursue vocation and live a good, ethical life; his role as a public intellectual both nationally and in the Spanish-speaking world as a whole; and his wish for a relationship with Europe and the United States based on dignity and equality.

We have demonstrated that the received image of the author as elitist and detached from the real world has no justification. Instead, Rodó displays a deep concern for the well-being of all in society and even proposes positive discrimination, avant la lettre. His democratic convictions led him to confront the most powerful politician of his time and one of the most impressive of modern history anywhere.