Manuel Acuña
Encyclopedia
Manuel Acuña Narro was a 19th-century Mexican
writer. He focused on poetry, but also wrote some novels and plays. Even though he was famous at an early time of his life, he decided to commit suicide. It is not certain why he killed himself, but it is thought that he did so because of a woman.
, Coahuila
, on August 27, 1849 to Francisco Acuña and Refugio Narro. He was taught how to write and read at an early age. Later he studied in the “Colegio Josefino”, in Saltillo. Around 1865 he was transferred to Mexico City
to the School of San Ildefonso
, where he entered as a full time student. Here he studied mathematics
, Latin
, French
and philosophy
.
Acuña lived at a time at which Mexican society was dominated by philosophical-positivist intellectuality. Furthermore he was living as a romantic tendency in poetry was occurring.
In January 1868, Acuña initiated his studies in medicine at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He was a distinguished student, though he never completed his medical studies. During the first months there, he lived in a room in the ex-convent of Santa Brígida. From here he was transferred to a room at the medical school, the same one that some years before was inhabited by another Mexican poet, Juan Díaz Covarrubias. In this room, many of the young writers of that time met: Juan de Dios Peza, Manuel M. Flores, Agustín F. Cuenca, Gerardo M. Silva, Javier Santamaría, Juan B. Garza, Miguel Portilla, and Vicente Morales among others.
The works presented in the society were published in the magazine El Anáhuac (Mexico 1869) and in a pamphlet of the newspaper La Iberia named “Literary Essays of the Nezahualcóyotl Society”. This pamphlet is considered as one of the works of Acuña, since it contains, in addition to works of other writers, eleven poems and an article in prose of his own. He was only 24 years old when he had made a name for himself.
On May 9, 1871, a dramatic work that he wrote called “El pasado” (The Past) was released. This work was well received by the public and critics recognized him as an outstanding poet.
Rosario de la Peña was the woman that was the most intimately related to Acuñas’s last years. She was the great love of his life. In fact, most of Acuña's friends were in love with this woman (although she never had a formal relationship with any of them). Her house was frequently turned into a social gathering place for these poets, where each one exposed his new verses and debated philosophy.
Among his works are: Nocturno; and Entonces y hoy which depicted a violent anarchism.
(“As the immovable eyelids of a dead man must cry in the last hour") His unrequited love for Rosario de la Peña was said to be the motive for his suicide.
The day Acuña died, he was guarded by his friends at the medicine school. On December 10, Acuña was buried at the cemetery “Campo Florido”, with the attendance of representatives of literary and scientific societies, as well as a huge crowd of people that admired him. His brother Juan de Dios Peza, his best friend, Gustavo Baz
, Eduardo F. Zárate and Justo Sierra
gave their last goodbyes to Acuña. Finally his body was transferred to “La Rotonda de los hombres ilustres”, where a monument was erected in his honor.
wrote a poetic letter to Acuña.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
writer. He focused on poetry, but also wrote some novels and plays. Even though he was famous at an early time of his life, he decided to commit suicide. It is not certain why he killed himself, but it is thought that he did so because of a woman.
Early life
Acuña was born in the city of SaltilloSaltillo
Saltillo is the capital city of the northeastern Mexican state of Coahuila and the municipal seat of the municipality of the same name. The city is located about 400 km south of the U.S. state of Texas, and 90 km west of Monterrey, Nuevo León....
, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, on August 27, 1849 to Francisco Acuña and Refugio Narro. He was taught how to write and read at an early age. Later he studied in the “Colegio Josefino”, in Saltillo. Around 1865 he was transferred to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to the School of San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso
San Ildefonso, or La Granja, or La Granja de San Ildefonso, is a town and municipality in the province of Segovia, Spain, situated some 54 km northwest of Madrid.-History:...
, where he entered as a full time student. Here he studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Acuña lived at a time at which Mexican society was dominated by philosophical-positivist intellectuality. Furthermore he was living as a romantic tendency in poetry was occurring.
In January 1868, Acuña initiated his studies in medicine at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He was a distinguished student, though he never completed his medical studies. During the first months there, he lived in a room in the ex-convent of Santa Brígida. From here he was transferred to a room at the medical school, the same one that some years before was inhabited by another Mexican poet, Juan Díaz Covarrubias. In this room, many of the young writers of that time met: Juan de Dios Peza, Manuel M. Flores, Agustín F. Cuenca, Gerardo M. Silva, Javier Santamaría, Juan B. Garza, Miguel Portilla, and Vicente Morales among others.
Career
It was in 1868 when Acuña initiated his brief literary career. He first became known with a poem he wrote for the death of one of his close friends Eduardo Alzúa. In the same year, encouraged by the cultural renaissance that followed the triumph of the Republic, he participated, along with Agustín F. Cuenca and Gerardo Silva, among others, in the founding the Nezahualcóyotl Literary Society, in which he presented his first verses.The works presented in the society were published in the magazine El Anáhuac (Mexico 1869) and in a pamphlet of the newspaper La Iberia named “Literary Essays of the Nezahualcóyotl Society”. This pamphlet is considered as one of the works of Acuña, since it contains, in addition to works of other writers, eleven poems and an article in prose of his own. He was only 24 years old when he had made a name for himself.
On May 9, 1871, a dramatic work that he wrote called “El pasado” (The Past) was released. This work was well received by the public and critics recognized him as an outstanding poet.
Rosario de la Peña was the woman that was the most intimately related to Acuñas’s last years. She was the great love of his life. In fact, most of Acuña's friends were in love with this woman (although she never had a formal relationship with any of them). Her house was frequently turned into a social gathering place for these poets, where each one exposed his new verses and debated philosophy.
Among his works are: Nocturno; and Entonces y hoy which depicted a violent anarchism.
Death
Acuña committed suicide on December 6, 1873 after ingesting potassium cyanide. It is said that his body as his eyes were closed, tears sprang up. This was in accordance to advice given a poem that he wrote: "como deben llorar en la última hora, los inmóviles párpados de un muerto"(“As the immovable eyelids of a dead man must cry in the last hour") His unrequited love for Rosario de la Peña was said to be the motive for his suicide.
The day Acuña died, he was guarded by his friends at the medicine school. On December 10, Acuña was buried at the cemetery “Campo Florido”, with the attendance of representatives of literary and scientific societies, as well as a huge crowd of people that admired him. His brother Juan de Dios Peza, his best friend, Gustavo Baz
Gustavo Baz
Gustavo Baz Prada was a distinguished Mexican politician and medical doctor. He was Governor of the State of Mexico from 1914 to 1915 and from 1957 to 1963....
, Eduardo F. Zárate and Justo Sierra
Justo Sierra
Justo Sierra Méndez , was a prominent Mexican writer, journalist, poet and political figure of the second half of the nineteenth century. He was the son of Mexican novelist Justo Sierra O'Reilly, who is credited with inspiring his son with the spirit of literature...
gave their last goodbyes to Acuña. Finally his body was transferred to “La Rotonda de los hombres ilustres”, where a monument was erected in his honor.
Role within Mexican literature
Acuña was a well-known figure amongst Mexican writers; furthermore, some of them were his friends. Acuña influenced most of them in their writing. It was not necessarily in the way they wrote, but that some of their works were done in such a way that they wanted to remember him for a long time. After Acuña’s death, José MartíJosé Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...
wrote a poetic letter to Acuña.
External links
- Hojas Secas de Manuel Acuna - Poema de amor at www.poema-de-amor.com.ar
- "Nocturno a Rosario" por Manuel Acuña at www.rjgeib.com