Alberto Blest Gana
Encyclopedia
Alberto Blest Gana was a Chile
an novelist and diplomat, considered the father of Chilean novel. Blest Gana was of Irish
and Basque
descent.
He was the son of an Irishman
, William Cunningham Blest
, and of María de la Luz Gana Darrigrandi, from an aristocratic landowning family. He studied at the Military Academy and then for one year in France.
A liberal, Alberto Blest was named intendant
of the province of Colchagua and starting 1866 he was Chilean diplomatic representative at Washington
, London
and Paris
. Among his successes were the inclusion of Chile in the Universal Postal Union
and the purchase of armament for Chilean troops during the War of the Pacific
. He also participated at border negotiations with Argentina
, but with a less important role than his previous activities.
. Upon his return home, he virtually founded the Chilean novel by adapting European techniques to some ten novels portraying various aspects of national history and life. Of these, the most important is Martín Rivas
(1862), which describes the career of a young man during the 1851 political revolt. Abundant local color and social criticism accompany the action of the novel. Although these elements of description are not brought to life and fused with the plot in the manner of Balzac, the novel achieved great success as the first realistic portrayal of Chilean life. After its publication, Blest Gana entered the diplomatic service and was Chilean ambassador to France and Britain for many years. Other novels of this first period are The Arithmetic of Love (1860) and El ideal de un calavera (The Rake's Ideal, 1863).
Upon his retirement from diplomacy, Blest Gana returned to writing novels. Strongly influenced by his reading of the new masters of the form, he produced his best work. Four novels from this second period of creative activity are Durante la reconquista (During the Reconquest,1897), Los transplantados (The Exiles, 1904), El loco Estero (Estero the Mad, 1909), and Gladys Fairfield (1912). El loco Estero is about the Chile of Blest Gana's childhood. The lively adventure and love intrigue infused with nostalgia qualify this novel as Blest Gana's greatest work.
His literary work - almost exclusively novels - followed the aesthetic ideals and themes of the European Realism
, but with a conscious 'americanization' of themes, as a way of making the genre fit (and educational enough) to be read by a national audience. His writings were explicitly influenced by 19th century liberalism
, but they are also an attempt to reconcile religious and moral ideals of his time.
Notable among his novels are "Martín Rivas" (published 1862, about the social rise of a poor, middle-class young man, which is considered the first Chilean novel), "El ideal de un Talavera" (1863), "Durante la Reconquista" (1879 historical novel of the period 1814-1817); "Los Trasplantados" (1906) and "El Loco Estero" (1909 with pleasant remembrances of childhood). His ability to describe characters and customs has been praised by critics now, as well as at the time of publishing. Despite his non-literary education, which accounts for his careless style and excess of gallicism
s, his work is considered fundamental, in terms of their representation of the customs, morals and ideals of 19th century Chileans. "Martin Rivas" was translated into English by Tess O'Dwyer and published by Oxford University Press in 2000.
He also wrote a comedy: "El jefe de familia" (1858).
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an novelist and diplomat, considered the father of Chilean novel. Blest Gana was of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
descent.
He was the son of an Irishman
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, William Cunningham Blest
William Cunningham Blest
William Cunningham Blest was an Anglo-Irish doctor, the president of the first Medical Society of Chile, creator of the first School of Medicine in Chile, a politician and father of the novelist Alberto Blest Gana.-Early life:...
, and of María de la Luz Gana Darrigrandi, from an aristocratic landowning family. He studied at the Military Academy and then for one year in France.
A liberal, Alberto Blest was named intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
of the province of Colchagua and starting 1866 he was Chilean diplomatic representative at Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Among his successes were the inclusion of Chile in the Universal Postal Union
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
and the purchase of armament for Chilean troops during the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
. He also participated at border negotiations with Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, but with a less important role than his previous activities.
Literary work
While living in France between 1847 and 1851, Blest Gana passionately read the novels of Honoré de BalzacHonoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie humaine, which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 fall of Napoleon....
. Upon his return home, he virtually founded the Chilean novel by adapting European techniques to some ten novels portraying various aspects of national history and life. Of these, the most important is Martín Rivas
Martín Rivas (novel)
Martin Rivas is an 1862 novel by Alberto Blest Gana , and is widely acknowledged as the first Chilean novel.The novel is at once a passionate love story and an optimistic representation of Chilean nationhood...
(1862), which describes the career of a young man during the 1851 political revolt. Abundant local color and social criticism accompany the action of the novel. Although these elements of description are not brought to life and fused with the plot in the manner of Balzac, the novel achieved great success as the first realistic portrayal of Chilean life. After its publication, Blest Gana entered the diplomatic service and was Chilean ambassador to France and Britain for many years. Other novels of this first period are The Arithmetic of Love (1860) and El ideal de un calavera (The Rake's Ideal, 1863).
Upon his retirement from diplomacy, Blest Gana returned to writing novels. Strongly influenced by his reading of the new masters of the form, he produced his best work. Four novels from this second period of creative activity are Durante la reconquista (During the Reconquest,1897), Los transplantados (The Exiles, 1904), El loco Estero (Estero the Mad, 1909), and Gladys Fairfield (1912). El loco Estero is about the Chile of Blest Gana's childhood. The lively adventure and love intrigue infused with nostalgia qualify this novel as Blest Gana's greatest work.
His literary work - almost exclusively novels - followed the aesthetic ideals and themes of the European Realism
Literary realism
Literary realism most often refers to the trend, beginning with certain works of nineteenth-century French literature and extending to late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century authors in various countries, towards depictions of contemporary life and society "as they were." In the spirit of...
, but with a conscious 'americanization' of themes, as a way of making the genre fit (and educational enough) to be read by a national audience. His writings were explicitly influenced by 19th century liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, but they are also an attempt to reconcile religious and moral ideals of his time.
Notable among his novels are "Martín Rivas" (published 1862, about the social rise of a poor, middle-class young man, which is considered the first Chilean novel), "El ideal de un Talavera" (1863), "Durante la Reconquista" (1879 historical novel of the period 1814-1817); "Los Trasplantados" (1906) and "El Loco Estero" (1909 with pleasant remembrances of childhood). His ability to describe characters and customs has been praised by critics now, as well as at the time of publishing. Despite his non-literary education, which accounts for his careless style and excess of gallicism
Gallicism
A Gallicism can be:* a mode of speech peculiar to the French;* a French idiom;* in general, a French mode or custom.* loanwords, words or phrases borrowed from French....
s, his work is considered fundamental, in terms of their representation of the customs, morals and ideals of 19th century Chileans. "Martin Rivas" was translated into English by Tess O'Dwyer and published by Oxford University Press in 2000.
He also wrote a comedy: "El jefe de familia" (1858).