La Llorona: A Tale of Guilt, Loss, and Consequence
“Ay mis hijos, Mis Hijos!” are the infamous cry of, “La Llorona,” the ghost of a woman rumored to roam New Mexico and other parts of Latin America looking for the children she drowned. La Llorona, a renowned folktale in Latin America, explores themes of guilt, loss, and consequences of our actions, which are prevalent across various versions.
All versions of La Llorona follow the spirit of a depressed woman searching for her lost kids. The article, “La Llorona Weeping Woman of the Southwest,” talks about how one of the most famous versions of the tale is about a woman who used to be happy and full of life until she married a wealthy man who would ultimately leave her. The article said, “La Llorona was a caring woman full of life and love who married a wealthy man who lavished her with gifts and attention. However, after she bore him two sons, he changed, returning to a life of womanizing and alcohol, often leaving her for months.” The man she loved stopped caring for her after she had kids. The article goes on to talk about how he eventually stopped coming around for her and would only visit the house to see the kids. One day he came to visit and was with the company of another woman. The article said, “One evening as Maria, (La Llorona) was strolling with her two children on a shady pathway near the river, her husband came by in a carriage and with an elegant lady beside him and spoke to his children but ignored Maria and then drove the carriage down the road without looking back.” The article talks about how this interaction caused La Llorona to go into a terrible rage and as a result she took her two children and threw them in the river. She came to the realization of the terrible deed she had committed, but it was too late as her children had already died. The article said she broke down into inconsolable grief and ran down the streets screaming and crying for her deceased children. The article talks about how the miserable woman would cry day and night, walking along the river in a white gown still searching for her kids, and passed away due to her sadness shortly after. It is clear that the woman was overwhelmed with grief over the loss of her children, making it difficult for her to come to terms with her actions. She desperately searched for them, hoping to alter the outcome and bring them back to life.
All versions of La Llorona, also highlight the theme of loss. First, she experienced the heartbreaking loss of the man she loved and then the devastating loss of her children. According to the article, “The Legend of La Llorona,” in one version of the folktale, La Llorona starts an affair with a rich Spaniard. The article said that during the affair she had three children with him and wanted him to make their relationship official to make sure that her children would have their father in their lives. However, despite her pleas the man refused to formalize their relationship likely due to his status as an upper middle-class man and his fear of what others would think. Eventually the man left her to marry a woman of upper-class status. His departure brought great devastation to her. The article said, “Once the native woman found out, she was devasted and wounded by deceit and betrayal. She was so desperate that she took her three children to the riverbank, where she gave them one last hug as a symbol of her love for them, only to sink them to death. Subsequently, she ended her life, and her conscience and guilt constantly tormented her.” She felt an overwhelming sense of devastation after losing both her children and her husband. Alongside the guilt, she realized that she was now completely alone, which compounded her despair and made her end her own life.
La Llorona also explores the theme of the repercussions of our choices and actions. In every version of La Llorona, she hasn’t found peace even in death. She remains the sorrowful and heartbroken women she was years ago. It is evident she has not found peace in death from the reported sightings of her ghost. The article, “La Llorona Weeping Woman of the Southwest,” talks about sightings the people of New Mexico have had with her. The article said, “Not long after her death, her relentless spirit began to appear, walking the banks of the Sante Fe river when darkness would appear. Her weeping and wailing became a curse of the night, and people became afraid to go outside. On many a dark night, people would see her walking alongside the riverbank and crying for her children.” Her cries and her constant search for her children, along with the never-ending guilt, highlight that as a consequence for killing her children she will never find peace. She will spend the entirety crying in immense anguish and sorrow for her act of harming her children and making them suffer for the actions of a man.
The haunting folktale of La Llorona, is a reminder of the lasting impact of guilt, the devastation of loss, and the profound consequences that accompany our actions.
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