Julia Pérez Montes de Oca (1839 - September 25, 1875) was a Cuban poet, sister of the poet

Luisa Pérez de Zambrana Luisa Pérez de Zambrana (25 August 1837, El Cobre – 25 March 1922, Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial ...

Early life and education

Julia Pérez Montes de Oca was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, in 1839. There, she received her education. Her older sister was the poet Luisa Perez de Zambrana, with whom she always maintained a good friendship as well as with Luisa's husband, Dr. Ramon Zambrana. In fact, the family's connection to Zamabrana was such that when Luisa married Ramon, the whole family moved to Havana.

Career

Interested in poetry from a young age, Pérez published her first poems in the newspapers ''Redactor de Santiago de Cuba'' and ''Kaleidoscopio de la Habana'', and later collaborated with other Cuban and foreign journals. She attended artistic and literary meetings, where she recited her compositions. Her work was praised both by her sister and by the press of the time, who quoted one of the readings as "moving". Her poetry was part of the second Romanticism, of a later character, covered different genres, and dealt with various topics. Generally, however, in addition to romantic features, Pérez's work was more similar to classicism, with constant references to the ''locus amoenus'', reminiscent of Garcilaso de la Vega. After the death of Dr. Zambrana, Pérez's verses developed a tragic tone; there was also a suggestion of unrequited love. In collaboration with other poets of the time, Pérez published some poems in ''El álbum cubano de lo bueno y lo bello'', founded and directed by

Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda y Arteaga (March 23, 1814 – February 1, 1873) was a 19th-century Cuban-born Spanish writer. Born in Puerto Príncipe, now Camagüey, she lived in Cuba until she was 22. Her family moved to Spain in 1836, where s ...

, in 1860.

Death and legacy

Pérez died September 25, 1875, of tuberculosis, probably in the El Jardín house, the residence of Cornelio Souchay and Angélica Zambrana, in Artemisa, Cuba. She was buried in the local cemetery. Some have said that she committed suicide, according to the last verses she left written, but others dismiss it because her death certificate records that she received Anointing of the sick. Though she never published a collection of poems in her lifetime, a collection of her poetry was published posthumously entitled, ''Poesías'', in 1875 in Barcelona. A more complete edition was published in 1957.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez Montes de Oca, Julia 1839 births 1875 deaths 19th-century Cuban poets 19th-century Cuban women writers 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis People from Santiago de Cuba Cuban women poets Tuberculosis deaths in Cuba