Luis Lloréns Torres
Encyclopedia
Luis Llorens Torres was a Puerto Rican
poet
, playwright
, and politician
. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.
, his parents, Luis Aurelio del Carmen Llorens and Marcelina Soledad de Torres, were the wealthy owners of a coffee plantation. In Collores (a section of Juana Diaz), Llorens Torres was always in contact with nature, which accounts for the love that he felt for nature and country. Llorens Torres always stated that he was proud to come from "Collores
". His Catalan
grandfather, Josep de Llorens i Robles, had immigrated from the village of Llorens, which belongs to the town of El Vendrell in Tarragona
(Catalonia
, Spain).
He went to school in Mayagüez
and Maricao
. Llorens Torres went to Spain
after he finished his secondary studies on the island. He studied at the University of Barcelona
and became a lawyer. He then proceeded to study Philosophy and Letters at the University of Granada
where he obtained a Doctorate degree in both disciplines. In Spain he published his first book of poetic verses "Al Pie de la Alhambra", which was dedicated to his girlfriend, Carmen Rivero.
where he established his own law firm (Nemesio Canales
later joined his firm) and collaborated with the newspaper Lienzos del Solar. During this time he wrote some of his best works.
When Llorens Torres returned to Puerto Rico he found a political situation completely different than from the one that he had left. Puerto Rico had been invaded by the United States
during the Puerto Rico Campaign of the Spanish American War in 1898. This motivated Llorens Torres to join the political Union Party which defended the ideal of independence for the island. He transmitted his beliefs to the public through his poem "El Patito Feo" (The Ugly Duckling). He became a member of the legislature when he was named to the Camara of Delegates from 1908 to 1910 representing the municipality of Ponce
. On February 8, 1912, together with Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
and Manuel Zeno Gandía
, he wrote a manisfesto which stated that it was time for Puerto Rico to have its independence. That year Llorens Torres, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Manuel Zeno Gandía, Eugenio Benítez Castaño, and Pedro Franceschi founded the Independence party which was the first party in the history of the island to exclusively want Puerto Rican independence. Eugenio Benítez Castaño was named president of the short lived political party. In 1913, Llorens Torres co-founded with Nemesio Canales La Revista de Las Antillas, a literary publication. Llorens Torres died in Santurce
, a sector of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was a defender of the independence ideal until the day that he died.
. There is a bust of him in front of the high school named after him and there is a statue of Luis Llorens Torres, sculpted by the Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista
, in the "Plazita Famosa" of Juana Diaz.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
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...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was an advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico.
Early years
Llorens Torres was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto RicoJuana Díaz, Puerto Rico
Juana Díaz is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Jayuya, Ciales, Orocovis and Villalba; east of Ponce; and west of Coamo and Santa Isabel and the Caribbean Sea to the south. Juana Díaz is spread over 12 wards and Juana Diaz Pueblo...
, his parents, Luis Aurelio del Carmen Llorens and Marcelina Soledad de Torres, were the wealthy owners of a coffee plantation. In Collores (a section of Juana Diaz), Llorens Torres was always in contact with nature, which accounts for the love that he felt for nature and country. Llorens Torres always stated that he was proud to come from "Collores
Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico
Juana Díaz is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the southern coast of the island, south of Jayuya, Ciales, Orocovis and Villalba; east of Ponce; and west of Coamo and Santa Isabel and the Caribbean Sea to the south. Juana Díaz is spread over 12 wards and Juana Diaz Pueblo...
". His Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
grandfather, Josep de Llorens i Robles, had immigrated from the village of Llorens, which belongs to the town of El Vendrell in Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
(Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain).
He went to school in Mayagüez
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Mayagüez is the eighth-largest municipality of Puerto Rico. Originally founded as "Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria" it is also known as "La Sultana del Oeste" , "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" , or "Ciudad del Mangó"...
and Maricao
Maricao, Puerto Rico
Maricao is the second-least populous municipality of Puerto Ricolocated at the western edge of the Cordillera Central. It is a small town set around a small plaza in hilly terrain, north of San Germán, Saban Grande and Yauco; south of Las Marías and Lares, southeast of Mayagüez, and west of Adjuntas...
. Llorens Torres went to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
after he finished his secondary studies on the island. He studied at the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
and became a lawyer. He then proceeded to study Philosophy and Letters at the University of Granada
University of Granada
The University of Granada is a public university located in Granada, Spain that enrolls approximately 80,000 students. The university also has campuses in Ceuta and Melilla. Every year, over 2,000 European students enroll in the UGR through the Erasmus Programme, making it the most popular...
where he obtained a Doctorate degree in both disciplines. In Spain he published his first book of poetic verses "Al Pie de la Alhambra", which was dedicated to his girlfriend, Carmen Rivero.
Political career
He returned to Puerto Rico in 1901, married, and moved to PoncePonce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
where he established his own law firm (Nemesio Canales
Nemesio Canales
Nemesio R. Canales was a Puerto Rican essayist, journalist, novelist, playwright, politician and activist who defended women's civil rights...
later joined his firm) and collaborated with the newspaper Lienzos del Solar. During this time he wrote some of his best works.
When Llorens Torres returned to Puerto Rico he found a political situation completely different than from the one that he had left. Puerto Rico had been invaded by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the Puerto Rico Campaign of the Spanish American War in 1898. This motivated Llorens Torres to join the political Union Party which defended the ideal of independence for the island. He transmitted his beliefs to the public through his poem "El Patito Feo" (The Ugly Duckling). He became a member of the legislature when he was named to the Camara of Delegates from 1908 to 1910 representing the municipality of Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. On February 8, 1912, together with Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón was a lawyer, a member of the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, and a lifelong political contrarian. He favored Puerto Rican autonomy when Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony. After the Spanish-American War, when the island was ceded to the United States, he advocated...
and Manuel Zeno Gandía
Manuel Zeno Gandía
Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía wrote the novel La Charca , which is considered by many to be the first Puerto Rican novel.-Early years:...
, he wrote a manisfesto which stated that it was time for Puerto Rico to have its independence. That year Llorens Torres, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Manuel Zeno Gandía, Eugenio Benítez Castaño, and Pedro Franceschi founded the Independence party which was the first party in the history of the island to exclusively want Puerto Rican independence. Eugenio Benítez Castaño was named president of the short lived political party. In 1913, Llorens Torres co-founded with Nemesio Canales La Revista de Las Antillas, a literary publication. Llorens Torres died in Santurce
Santurce
Santurce can refer to:*Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico, a district of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico*Santurtzi, a town near Bilbao, the Basque Country, Spain...
, a sector of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was a defender of the independence ideal until the day that he died.
Legacy
The Government of Puerto Rico has honored the memory of Luis Llorens Torres by naming a public housing project in Santurce after him. Among the other things that were named after him are an avenue in San Juan, a high school in Juana Diaz, and a children's academy in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. There is a bust of him in front of the high school named after him and there is a statue of Luis Llorens Torres, sculpted by the Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista
Tomás Batista is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest sculptor. He is the creator of some of Puerto Rico's most famous monuments.-Early years:...
, in the "Plazita Famosa" of Juana Diaz.
See also
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of notable Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature