Introduction
The study of myths is essential for gaining insight into ancient cultures and finding solutions to contemporary problems. The Mexican folktale of La Llorona, the weeping woman, about a mother who laments her lost children by weeping on the banks of lakes and rivers, is an instance of a myth that spans the ages. This is a significant aspect of the oral storytelling tradition in Mexico and other cultures that practice this art form. In this myth, the woman’s husband leaves her, and she ends up killing her children by drowning them in the river. Her grief causes her untimely demise, and in the underworld, she is doomed to wander the earth in search of her lost children’s remains while constantly wailing (Baumgartel, 2022).
The nighttime is when La Llorona kidnaps most children, believing they are her own because she cannot stop thinking about the children she lost and how much she wants them back. She then drowns the stolen children and begs heaven to forgive her. La Llorona has undergone numerous changes and adaptations within Mexico’s oral traditions.
Justice
By colliding two worlds and erasing the boundaries between them, the film demonstrates justice by allowing Maria and other similar white privileged families to feel the grief and dread of the children their patriarch has injured and killed. The tension in the picture rises as the wall between bystanders who do nothing and the victims they have been watching grow thinner. As an alternative to the wails of a woman in white, demands for justice featuring the images of victims have been heard (Baumgartel, 2022). They become more visible in the crowd as the wicked woman’s shame drives her to see how the silence has contributed to the state of racism and brutality.
As a protest against her husband’s authority, the woman’s decision to kill her child is more than just an act of vengeance for his treachery. This is a protest against his authority and the patriarchal culture that views women and children as objects to be owned. Though first successful, her rebellion soon fizzles out as she comes to terms with her actions (Treviño, 2019). She not only murdered her children but also betrayed the cultural ideals that had been taught to her for so long. When she realizes her mistake, she is prepared to hurt herself to uphold justice.
Pain
The narrative and topic of pain are brought to light in La Llorona, with the titular character taking action against the oppressors. This story is sure to inspire other women to follow suit because of its uplifting message. As a result, La Llorona might be interpreted as a narrative with a significant effect that catalyzes change in empowering marginalized women. The community’s women offer La Llorona a unique cultural meaning, cementing the continuing need for her presence (Baumgartel, 2022). The legend of La Llorona can be used to tell the story of how individuals and communities overcame hardship and gained independence.
Attributable to a series of actions of treachery and retaliation, La Llorona is able to tell a story about the world and its people that has universal resonance. Maria was frustrated since her husband seemed to choose their children over her. Due to her pain and anger, she decided to put an end to her children’s lives by having them all drown in the river (Treviño, 2019). She plunged herself into the river as she understood what she had done. The villagers dumped her body in the river, and she haunted its banks at night, wailing for her lost children and snatching up any wandering youngsters. There is a perpetual struggle for control within this cycle because the dominant male harms the vulnerable and the vengeful female drowns the offspring.
Political issues
La Llorona is a cultural, political, and social tragedy in its extreme form. The film’s plot is rooted in the existence of racist brutality, which gives the wailing woman a new form: one who calls for her children, which in this case means that they are cruelly killed. The killer woman is a perfect metaphor that encapsulates the prevalent racism in Latin American culture. She is affluent, white, and blind to the thousands of eyewitness accounts of her husband’s actions because she believes his falsehoods (Treviño, 2019). Both she and the individuals she claims to speak for pose a significant threat. Though she does not physically pull the triggers herself, she provides the green light for others to do so with little or no repercussions.
Conclusion
The Mexican folktale of La Llorona, regarding a mother who weeps on the banks of lakes and rivers for her lost children, is an example of a myth that spans the ages. The woman’s choice to kill her child is more than just an action of vengeance for her husband’s betrayal; it is a form of protest against his authority. Within this cycle, there is an ongoing struggle for preeminence because the dominant male endangers the weak and the ruthless female drowns the young. The murderer woman is the perfect symbol of the pervasive racial inequality in Latin American culture.
References
Baumgartel, S. (2022). La Llorona. Subtropics, 32(1), 100-101. Web.
Treviño, R. (2019). Absolving La Llorona: Yda H. Addis’s “the wailing woman”. Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers, 36(1), 123-130. Web.