“The Star and Death of Joaquin Murieta” Neruda in Brief Content
The action takes place in 1850-1853. The choir begins a story about the glorious thief Joaquin Muriete, whose ghost is still hovering over California, a free Chilean who died in a foreign land. Boys-newsmen shout news: in California, a gold rush. Attracted by distant mirages, crowds of people flock to the port of Valparaiso from all over the country, eager to go to the fertile land, where they live nourishingly and warmly. A brigantine is built on the stage, sails are raised. Customs Adalberto Reyes requires a bunch of all kinds of information from Juan Trekhpalogo, but the former miner can easily sigilate a zealous servant to sail with all to the mines in California to extract gold. Three-fingered accompanies Joaquin Murietu, at which he is for uncle and conductor. This young man is a leader in batch, he now explains to the former customs officer.
The chorus tells how, during the journey through the sea, the driver of the horses, Joaquin Murieta, coughed up the peasant Teresa.
While on the deck there is a violent spree, and rough fun looks like a blind call to death, from the porthole porthole there is an amorous dialogue of newlyweds, absorbed in their happiness.
Panorama of San Francisco in 1850 Chileans first arrived at the light of wealth, shalom money, says the choir. In the tavern “Zavarukha” there was almost a skirmish of Hispanics, including Reyes and Three-toes, and rangers in Texas hats armed with revolvers, but this time they do without bloodshed.
When the unguarded Yankees finally get out, a dressed all-black Rider appears with the news that Sacramento was killed by two dozen Chileans and a few Mexicans, and all because the Yankees treat them like Negroes do not want to recognize their rights. However, the visitors do not long grieve, the spree continues, the singers perform, they show off a striptease. Caballero the swindler fools clients with tricks with a hat, but now the Podpevals meet, and visitors are forced to put in a hat their watches and chains. Collecting the prey, the magician disappears,
When it’s over, one of the raiders drops the cloak, it’s Caballero the swindler who pays with improvised stolen things. Chorus describes the hard work of the miners, which is engaged in Murieta. Joaquin dreams of getting a lot of gold and, returning home, give it to the poor. But again on the stage a group of Balakhons, plotting to unleash terror against strangers. The white race is above all! Blond greyhounds from California, as they call themselves, arrange attacks on the towns of prospectors. In one such raid, pogromists, among whom Caballero the swindler, break into the house of Muriet, rape and kill Teresa. Returning from the mine, Joaquin swears over the lifeless body of his wife to avenge her and punish the killers. From this day, Joaquin becomes a robber.
Murjeta, galloping on a vengeful horse, keeps the entire district in awe, executes violence against the white gringos, creating lawlessness and cashing in on crimes. Reyes and Three-toed, like some other Chileans, decide to join the formidable robber, give retribution for the shed blood of the brothers. A detachment of avengers is gathering around Joaquin.
Bandits led by Three-fingered attack the stagecoach, which is followed by seven passengers, among them women. They commit the massacre of Caballero with a swindler trying to hide sacks of gold, while the rest of the travelers are released, and gold is given to the local people. The Greyhounds group stumbles upon the Caballero of the swindler, who in some time comes out alive from the alteration. It’s outrageous: a gang of Murieta killed the passengers of the stagecoach and took away the gold, which they had stolen with such difficulty. And the people glorify the intercessor and praise his deeds.
The choir forms a semblance of a funeral frieze on both sides of a modest grave and comments on the events of the tragic July evening. Murieta brings roses to the late wife, and the Borzois arrange an ambush in the cemetery. Joaquin was unarmed, sadly explains the choir, he was shot, and then, not to be resurrected, cut off his head.
The fair-keeper is still the same Caballero swindler – he calls the passers-by to the fairground show, where the head of Muriet is exposed in the cage.
The endless string of people go, and the coins all flow into the bottomless pocket of a rascal.
Women shame men: how could you leave the enemies of the head to scold the person who punished them for them, punish the offenders.
Men decide to steal from the booth and bury the head about the grave of Teresa.
The burial procession is moving, Three-toed and Reyes bear the head of Murieta. The head of the robber expresses regret that the whole truth about him will not reach the descendants. He created a lot of evil, although he did good deeds, but an inescapable longing for a murdered wife drove him on the ground, and his honor shone with a star.
Bravely lived Murjeta, hot, but also was doomed, concludes the choir. The specter of a robber rebel rides on a bright-red horse between the past and the fables.
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