Nicanor Parra Sandoval emerged from a challenging upbringing in Chillán, southern Chile, as one of eight siblings in a family beset by financial difficulties. The household grappled with the instability brought on by his father, a schoolteacher whose struggles with alcoholism and irresponsibility disrupted family life. Meanwhile, Parra's resilient mother shouldered the burden of holding the family together. Parra's relationship with his father was complex, filled with both aversion and fascination, and after his father's passing in Parra's early teens, he found himself at odds with his mother and eventually left home. Despite these challenges, his father left a lasting impression on him, sparking the creative inspiration that would later fuel his development of antipoetry.

Early Literary and Academic Pursuits

Even in his youth, Parra was drawn to poetry, writing sporadic verses. By the time he enrolled at the University of Chile in Santiago in 1933, he was convinced of his dual identity as both a poet and a physics student. He mingled with the literary elite at his student residence, which likely further nurtured his poetic ambitions. In 1938, a year shy of earning his degree, Parra saw his first poetry collection, Cancionero sin nombre, make its debut.

Academic Achievements and International Studies

After obtaining his degree, Parra ventured into teaching, dedicating five years to educating secondary school students in Chile in mathematics and physics. His thirst for knowledge led him to the United States between 1943 and 1945, where he pursued advanced studies in mechanics at Brown University. Upon returning to Chile, he assumed the role of director at the University of Chile’s School of Engineering in 1948. Parra's academic journey took him to England, where he studied cosmology at Oxford, and upon his return to South America, he served as a professor of theoretical physics at the University of Chile.

Revolutionizing Poetry with Antipoetry

Parra's second poetry collection, Poems and Antipoems, marked a pivotal moment in his career, formally presenting antipoetry to the literary world. This innovative poetry style challenged existing norms and theories of poetry across Latin America, eliciting a wide range of reactions from critics and audiences alike. Some hailed him for his groundbreaking approach, while others criticized the departure from traditional poetic forms. Regardless, Parra's work left an indelible mark on the literary landscape of the time.

International Influence and Academic Contributions

Parra's influence transcended borders as he embarked on a series of international journeys. In 1963, he visited the Soviet Union, where he played a key role in overseeing the translation of a Soviet poetry anthology into Spanish. Continuing his global exploration, he traveled to the People’s Republic of China and later, in 1965, ventured to Cuba. His academic reputation also reached the United States, where he served as a visiting professor at institutions such as Louisiana State University in 1966, followed by New York University, Columbia, and Yale. Through these endeavors, Parra not only expanded his own horizons but also shared his innovative ideas with a broader, global audience.