Avellaneda’s Life

Born in Cuba on March 23, 1814, Died February 1,

1873

Came from a noble background of wealthy Spaniards

Was an avid reader and learner from early childhood

Wrote poems and plays from a young age

Avellaneda’s Life

Left for Spain at 22

Found fame in Spain for her writing

Began writing Sab in Spain

Tried to enroll in the Royal Academy in Spain but was not given admission because she was a woman

Moved back to Cuba in her late 40s where she continued writing until her death in 1873

Sab

Avellaneda’s most controversial book and her first

novel

Published in 1841

Considered to be the Cuban version of Harriet Beecher

Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin

A literary protest against the practice of slavery

Sab

The story of an Afro-Cuban (Cuban of African

descent) slave named Sab, who is in love with Carlotta,

his master’s daughter

Addresses questions of moral superiority between

black and white characters around the issue of slavery

Exemplifies the Cuban literary movement “Negrismo,”

in which white authors represented black characters in

positive ways and white characters in negative ways

Sab

Was banned in Cuba for its criticism of slavery

Was also considered scandalous because it addresses

miscegenation, or interracial relationships

Contains parallels between inequalities experienced by

black people and those experienced by women