José Martínez Ruiz
Encyclopedia
José Augusto Trinidad Martínez Ruíz, also known as Azorín (June 8, 1873, Monòver
- March 2, 1967), was a Spanish
writer
and literary critic.
in 1873. His father was from the town of Yecla and a member of the conservative party; he practiced law in Monóvar and was from a middle-class traditional family (he later became mayor, representative and follower of Romero Robledo). His mother was born in nearby Petrer. Azorín was the oldest of nine brothers. He studied at the boarding school of the Piarists
in Yecla for eight years. After working for a time, he attended the University of Valencia to study law in the late 1880s.
and first worked as a journalist
. From 1888 to 1896 he studied in Valencia, where he became interested in Krausismo
and anarchism
.
He used the pseudonyms of "Fray José", in The Catholic Education of Petrer, and "Juan of Lily" in The Defender of Yecla, etc. As a journalist, he wrote for a number of periodicals, including a newspaper edited by the Valencian writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
. He wrote numerous theatrical critiques praising the works of Angel Guimerá
and Benito Pérez Galdós
. In 1895, Azorín published two pieces on literary anarchists and social notes, in which he presents the main anarchist theories of the time. During this time he was a political radical
. Azorín became an admirer of the liberal Antonio Maura, who founded a party to fight the culture of "cacique
s", which he saw as the anti-democratic cancer of Hispanic politicians.
But, by the time of Francisco Franco
's ruling over Spain, Azorín had established himself in his literary career in Paris. He had become extremely conservative and had no problems with Franco's dictatorship.
Using mostly short sentences, in both his fiction and his essays he emphasized the small but enduring elements and events in history and in one's life. In his view, time consists of a series of repetitions; this notion of time has been described as "timeless".
He died in Madrid on March 2, 1967, at the age of 93 from natural causes. Azorin was the longest-lived of the writers of the Generation of 98. He had coined the name of this movement in 1913.
Monòver
Monòver is a municipality in the comarca of Vinalopó Mitjà in the Valencian Community, Spain....
- March 2, 1967), was a Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and literary critic.
Early life and education
Martínez Ruiz was born in Monovar, AlicanteAlicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
in 1873. His father was from the town of Yecla and a member of the conservative party; he practiced law in Monóvar and was from a middle-class traditional family (he later became mayor, representative and follower of Romero Robledo). His mother was born in nearby Petrer. Azorín was the oldest of nine brothers. He studied at the boarding school of the Piarists
Piarists
The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
in Yecla for eight years. After working for a time, he attended the University of Valencia to study law in the late 1880s.
Career
Ruiz lived in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and first worked as a 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...
. From 1888 to 1896 he studied in Valencia, where he became interested in Krausismo
Karl Christian Friedrich Krause
Karl Christian Friedrich Krause was a German philosopher, born at Eisenberg, Thuringia.-Education and Life:...
and anarchism
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
.
He used the pseudonyms of "Fray José", in The Catholic Education of Petrer, and "Juan of Lily" in The Defender of Yecla, etc. As a journalist, he wrote for a number of periodicals, including a newspaper edited by the Valencian writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
Vicente Blasco Ibáñez
Vicente Blasco Ibáñez was a Spanish realist novelist writing in Spanish, a screenwriter and occasional film director....
. He wrote numerous theatrical critiques praising the works of Angel Guimerá
Àngel Guimerà
Àngel Guimerà i Jorge was a Spanish Canarian writer, born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, to a Catalan father and a Canary islander mother...
and Benito Pérez Galdós
Benito Pérez Galdós
Benito Pérez Galdós was a Spanish realist novelist. Considered second only to Cervantes in stature, he was the leading Spanish realist novelist....
. In 1895, Azorín published two pieces on literary anarchists and social notes, in which he presents the main anarchist theories of the time. During this time he was a political radical
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
. Azorín became an admirer of the liberal Antonio Maura, who founded a party to fight the culture of "cacique
Cacique
Cacique is a title derived from the Taíno word for the pre-Columbian chiefs or leaders of tribes in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles...
s", which he saw as the anti-democratic cancer of Hispanic politicians.
But, by the time of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's ruling over Spain, Azorín had established himself in his literary career in Paris. He had become extremely conservative and had no problems with Franco's dictatorship.
Using mostly short sentences, in both his fiction and his essays he emphasized the small but enduring elements and events in history and in one's life. In his view, time consists of a series of repetitions; this notion of time has been described as "timeless".
He died in Madrid on March 2, 1967, at the age of 93 from natural causes. Azorin was the longest-lived of the writers of the Generation of 98. He had coined the name of this movement in 1913.
Legacy and honors
- 1943, the Press Delegation (1943) (Translated to English);
- 1946, "The Grand Cross of Isabel, the Catholic"; and
- 1956, "The Grand Cross of Alfonso X, the Wise".
- Elected to the Royal Spanish Academy
- His house was established as a historic house museum, Casa-Museo Azorín.
Works
- Diario de un enfermo (1901)
- La voluntad (1902)
- Castilla (1902)
- Antonio Azorín (1903)
- Confesiones de un pequeño filósofo (1904)
- Los pueblos (1905)
- La ruta de don Quijote (1905)
- La Cierva (1910)
- Lecturas españolas (1912)
- Castilla (1912)
- Clásicos y modernos (1913)
- Al margen de los clásicos (1915)
- Don JuanDon JuanDon Juan is a legendary, fictional libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors. El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra by Tirso de Molina is a play set in the fourteenth century that was published in Spain around 1630...
(1922, tr. 1923) - Doña InésDona InêsDona Inês is a town and municipality in the state of Paraíba in the Northeast Region of Brazil.-References:...
(1925) - Félix Vargas (1928)
- Una Hora de Espana (1948)
- PuebloPuebloPueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
(1949)