Pablo Neruda

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Pablo Neruda Biography

Pablo Neruda is almost as famous for his political activism as he is for his eclectic, electric poetry. A communist who held several governmental posts in his native Chile, Neruda was a staunch supporter of Radical Party presidential candidate Gabriel González Videla and helped elect him to office. When Videla quickly turned against the Communist party, Neruda spoke out harshly against him. Fearing for his family’s safety, Neruda went into hiding for the next year, during which time the Communist party was banned from Chile. He remained in exile for three years and traveled throughout Europe, where he did a great deal of writing. He first became known for erotic poems such as “Tonight I Can Write,” but the masterpiece Canto General captures his range of ideas, concerns, and passions—from history and politics to nature and love.

Facts and Trivia

  • Neruda was born Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto. He took his pen name from the Czech author Jan Neruda.
  • Although Neruda’s father opposed his writing interests, he persisted and had his first essay published at the age of thirteen.
  • His Veinte Poemas, which includes the acclaimed poem “Tonight I Can Write,” was considered highly controversial because of its explicitly sexual nature. Neruda was only ninteen years old when the volume was published.
  • Neruda was invited to speak at the International PEN Conference in 1966 and, despite the fact that he was officially banned from the United States, he was granted a special visa to attend.
  • Chilean leader Pinochet tried to outlaw the public from attending Neruda’s funeral, but thousands of people broke curfew and attended anyway. This is considered the first public protest against Chilean dictators.

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Pablo Neruda stands among the most beloved poets, captivating readers across the globe with his profound work. His influential collection, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, achieved remarkable success, with over a million copies sold in Spanish and translations available in more than twenty languages. Beyond poetry, Neruda's literary genius flourished in essays, translations, plays, and novels, earning him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.

Early Life and Inspirations

Born Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto in 1904, Neruda's journey began in Parral, a town in southern Chile. Tragically, he lost his mother a month after his birth, leading his family to relocate to Temuco, a bastion of the Araucanian Indians. In Temuco, he met a pivotal mentor, Gabriela Mistral, a teacher and future Nobel laureate, who introduced him to classical literature. At seventeen, Neruda left Temuco to pursue French studies at the University of Santiago. In 1921, he made a striking entry into the literary world by winning a student poetry contest. A year later, he chose the pen name Pablo Neruda, in homage to Czech writer Jan Neruda, and embraced his identity as a poet and activist, leaving formal education behind.

Literary Debut and Rise

Neruda's first self-published work, Crepusculario, surfaced in 1923, marking the genesis of his literary career. The following year, he published Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, a deeply erotic and lyrical collection that cemented his reputation. This success catapulted him into the literary spotlight, and his distinct voice captivated audiences worldwide.

A Diplomatic Odyssey

In 1927, Neruda embarked on a diplomatic career with the Chilean government, accepting positions in the Far East. His time there, marked by isolation and cultural disconnection, inspired the poems in Residence on Earth (1933). These works, infused with hallucinatory and surreal imagery, reflected his perception of the world around him. Returning to Chile in 1933, Neruda forged a significant friendship with Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. In 1934, he was appointed as the Chilean consul in Spain, where he faced the harrowing Spanish Civil War in 1936. Witnessing the conflict's brutality, including Lorca's execution, profoundly shifted Neruda's poetic focus from the personal to the political.

Political Engagement and Exile

Always politically engaged, Neruda's affinity for communism intensified during the Spanish Civil War. Following Spain, he served as consul in Mexico, where his open support for the Soviet Union drew criticism. Back in Chile by 1943, he visited the Incan ruins at Macchu Picchu, inspiring his epic poem The Heights of Macchu Picchu. In 1949, Neruda's outspoken criticism of Chile's right-wing government led to his exile. During this period, he completed the Marxist epic Canto General de Chile (1950), was honored with the Lenin Peace Prize, advocated for the European Peace Party, and married his third wife, Mathilde Urrutia. By 1952, political conditions in Chile allowed for his return.

A Shift in Poetic Tone

The publication of Odas Elementales (Elemental Odes) in 1954 marked a transformative period in Neruda's writing. Departing from grand political themes, he embraced humor and irony, celebrating the mundane with straightforward, unembellished language. This shift continued with Nuevas odas elementales (New Elemental Odes) in 1956, featuring "Ode to My Socks." Over the next two decades, Neruda's prolific output covered varied styles, from whimsical to politically charged, and even erotic themes.

Honors and Endings

In 1970, Chilean President Salvador Allende appointed Neruda as ambassador to France, a role he held when he received the Nobel Prize in 1971. His triumph was bittersweet as he was diagnosed with cancer, prompting his return to Chile in 1973. As political tensions mounted, he witnessed the military coup that toppled Allende's government. Neruda's life concluded in Santiago, where he passed away on September 23, 1973, just days after the violent upheaval in his homeland.

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