José Milla y Vidaurre
Encyclopedia
José Milla y Vidaurre was one of the most outstanding Guatemalan writers in the 19th century. He was also known by the name Pepe Milla and the pseudonym
Salomé Jil.
Milla grew up in a time of great instability, where the struggles between liberals
and conservatives
were bringing chaos to Guatemala. He came from a well-to-do family and was not a politically relevant figure. However, it is known that he had conservative tendencies and came to public office under conservative governments.
His works can be qualified under various literary genre
s, although they were mainly dedicated to story-telling, novels and more specifically historical novels. His main theme was life in the colonial
Guatemala. His "novelas costumbristas" are about the customs of Guatemalan people during colonial times and during the first years after Guatemalan independence.
In his works, he shows an ability for story-telling and imagination. For him, one of the main functions of literature was to entertain and his books are examples of such function. Jose Milla was well-educated, an expert of Guatemalan idiosyncrasies, its history and its customs.
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Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Salomé Jil.
Milla grew up in a time of great instability, where the struggles between liberals
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,...
and conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
were bringing chaos to Guatemala. He came from a well-to-do family and was not a politically relevant figure. However, it is known that he had conservative tendencies and came to public office under conservative governments.
His works can be qualified under various literary genre
Literary genre
A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even length. Genre should not be confused with age category, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young-adult, or children's. They also must not be confused...
s, although they were mainly dedicated to story-telling, novels and more specifically historical novels. His main theme was life in the colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
Guatemala. His "novelas costumbristas" are about the customs of Guatemalan people during colonial times and during the first years after Guatemalan independence.
In his works, he shows an ability for story-telling and imagination. For him, one of the main functions of literature was to entertain and his books are examples of such function. Jose Milla was well-educated, an expert of Guatemalan idiosyncrasies, its history and its customs.
Works
- Don Bonifacio (narrative poem)
- La Hija del Adelantado (historical novel), 1866
- Los Nazarenos (historical novel)
- El Visitador (historical novel)
- Un viaje al otro mundo pasando por otras partes
- Memorias de un abogado (novel)
- El esclavo de don dinero (novela costumbrista)
- Historia de un Pepe (novel)
- El canasto del sastre (obra costumbrista)
- Cuadros de Costumbres (obra costumbrista)
External links
- Literature and art of Guatemala (in Spanish)
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