Alejandro Guanes
Encyclopedia
Alejandro Guanes was born in Asunción
, Paraguay
, November 28, 1872. He was son of Francisco Guanes and Matilde Recalde.
He was a poet
, prose-writer, teacher
and journalist
. While still a teenager, he traveled to Buenos Aires
, Argentina
, to continue his studies at the San José High School of the capital. There he released his first poems, "Primavera" (Spring) among them, that was dedicated to his far and beloved country.
of that times.
He taught "Literary Preceptive" in the National High School of the Capital and translated English and Portuguese literature to the Spanish. One of the most famous was the poem "Ulalime" from Edgar Allan Poe
.
He wrote when the memories of the War Against the Triple Alliance
(1864–1870) were still fresh, and his poetry tries to settle down the spiritual values of a nation after the catastrophe.
In a prolix study about "The romantic modernist cycle in Paraguay", Juan Manuel Marcos says that Guanes "Died without publishing a single book, and without giving the title of the ones published after his death: 'Del viejo saber olvidado' (Of the old forgotten knowledge, 1926), essays of theosophic tendency, a mythic isle in the middle of the positivism, and 'De paso por la vida' (Passing through the life, 1936), post-romantic poems inspired in Lamartine, Musset, Espronceda, Zorrilla. His poem 'Las leyendas' (The Legends, 1909) calls out the Paraguayan traditions. 'Salve, Patria' (Hail Fatherland) motivates to the nation to stand up, majestically, its 'now beaten head', 'Primavera' (Spring) is the poem of the nostalgic youth, far away from the country. The intense lyricism of Guanes don't dissimulates the 'patriotic passion' common in every novecentist". "Del viejo saber olvidado" reunites his production in prose and "De paso por la vida" the poethic.
Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá
, in his “Paraguayan Literature” says: "His most representative poem, 'The Legends', is an impressive evocation of the ancient house of his ancestors that revives the most tragic moments of the history of his family. In this poem, and in another entitled 'Ocaso y aurora' (Sunset and Aurora), Guanes reveals to be a writer representative of his time..."
In 1984, Editorial Alcándara published a Poetic Anthology with the best of his literary production. In the presentation of the book could be read: "Bordering between the late romanticism and the initial approaches to the Paraguayan poetic modernism, the scarce but refined work from Alejandro Guanes [...] drops a tenuous crepuscular illumination through a hole generation of national writers. From the penumbra of the pain, dressed of invincible memories, with the evidence of the immortal luck that darkly motivates the precarious palpitation of men, the poet named his time and his people, never forgetting a raised love to the fatherland, the scenario of unfortunate blood that occupied his youth".
Carlos R. Centurión on his impressive "History of the Paraguayan literature" says that "Alejandro Guanes, in the first decade of the 20th Century, wrote "La cámara oscura" (The Dark Chamber", a dramatic comedy that never released".
The illustrate man of the Paraguayan theater, José Luís Ardissone, released a play based on the life of Guanes entitled "Caserón de añejos tiempos" (House of older times), like one of the verses of the emblematic "The Legends". This play was recorded and diffused profusely.
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, November 28, 1872. He was son of Francisco Guanes and Matilde Recalde.
He was a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, prose-writer, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. While still a teenager, he traveled to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, 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...
, to continue his studies at the San José High School of the capital. There he released his first poems, "Primavera" (Spring) among them, that was dedicated to his far and beloved country.
First steps and career
Back to his country, he collaborated with journals and magazines, among them the "Paraguayan Institute Magazine" that, influenced by Guanes, included permanently a section devoted to poetry of young authors like Ignacio A. Pane, Juan E. O'Leary, Guanes himself among the local, and of foreigners like Victorino Abente y Lago and Martín de Goycochea Menéndez. He cultivated the journalistic satyr using the alias of "Uncle Camándulas". He was redactor of "El Diario", "La Tribuna" and "El Orden", important journals related to the so-called "Paraguayan Novecentism", an aural movement and with great literary production in the ParaguayParaguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
of that times.
He taught "Literary Preceptive" in the National High School of the Capital and translated English and Portuguese literature to the Spanish. One of the most famous was the poem "Ulalime" from Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
.
He wrote when the memories of the War Against the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
(1864–1870) were still fresh, and his poetry tries to settle down the spiritual values of a nation after the catastrophe.
In a prolix study about "The romantic modernist cycle in Paraguay", Juan Manuel Marcos says that Guanes "Died without publishing a single book, and without giving the title of the ones published after his death: 'Del viejo saber olvidado' (Of the old forgotten knowledge, 1926), essays of theosophic tendency, a mythic isle in the middle of the positivism, and 'De paso por la vida' (Passing through the life, 1936), post-romantic poems inspired in Lamartine, Musset, Espronceda, Zorrilla. His poem 'Las leyendas' (The Legends, 1909) calls out the Paraguayan traditions. 'Salve, Patria' (Hail Fatherland) motivates to the nation to stand up, majestically, its 'now beaten head', 'Primavera' (Spring) is the poem of the nostalgic youth, far away from the country. The intense lyricism of Guanes don't dissimulates the 'patriotic passion' common in every novecentist". "Del viejo saber olvidado" reunites his production in prose and "De paso por la vida" the poethic.
Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá
Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá
Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá was a Paraguayan writer, essayist, poet, narrator and literature critic...
, in his “Paraguayan Literature” says: "His most representative poem, 'The Legends', is an impressive evocation of the ancient house of his ancestors that revives the most tragic moments of the history of his family. In this poem, and in another entitled 'Ocaso y aurora' (Sunset and Aurora), Guanes reveals to be a writer representative of his time..."
In 1984, Editorial Alcándara published a Poetic Anthology with the best of his literary production. In the presentation of the book could be read: "Bordering between the late romanticism and the initial approaches to the Paraguayan poetic modernism, the scarce but refined work from Alejandro Guanes [...] drops a tenuous crepuscular illumination through a hole generation of national writers. From the penumbra of the pain, dressed of invincible memories, with the evidence of the immortal luck that darkly motivates the precarious palpitation of men, the poet named his time and his people, never forgetting a raised love to the fatherland, the scenario of unfortunate blood that occupied his youth".
Carlos R. Centurión on his impressive "History of the Paraguayan literature" says that "Alejandro Guanes, in the first decade of the 20th Century, wrote "La cámara oscura" (The Dark Chamber", a dramatic comedy that never released".
The illustrate man of the Paraguayan theater, José Luís Ardissone, released a play based on the life of Guanes entitled "Caserón de añejos tiempos" (House of older times), like one of the verses of the emblematic "The Legends". This play was recorded and diffused profusely.