On Zambrano's metaphor of ruins

A reflection on the ontological integrity of the human and nature

Abstract

For María Zambrano, dreaming is a phenomenon that happens not only in sleep, but also in wakefulness. A deciphered dream, understood as a phenomenon, is a creative dream, dreaming well, a state that touches eternity by transcending time. At a time in her life, Zambrano silently watched the ruins of the Roman Forum and deciphered the dream, suddenly understanding how the ruins metaphorized the human. The human being is the one who seeks to build his dreams and transcend finiteness, merging with nature (which is symbolized by the ivy that invades the ruins).