HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Leopoldo Marechal (June 11, 1900 – June 26, 1970) was one of the most important
Argentine writers This is a list of Argentine literary figures, including poets, novelists, children's writers, essayists, and scholars. A *Diego Abad de Santillán (1897–1983) *Marcos Aguinis (born 1935) *César Aira (born 1949) * Andrés J. d'Alessio (1940 ...
of the twentieth century.


Biographical notes

Born in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
into a family of French and Spanish descent, Marechal became a primary school teacher and a high school professor after obtaining his degree despite enormous economic difficulties. During the 1920s he was among the poets who rallied around the movement represented by the literary journal ''
Martín Fierro ''Martín Fierro'', also known as ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'', is a 2,316-line epic poem by the Argentine writer José Hernández. The poem was originally published in two parts, ''El Gaucho Martín Fierro'' (1872) and ''La Vuelta de Martín F ...
''. While his first published works of poetry, ''Los aguiluchos'' (1922) and ''Días como flechas'' (1926), tended towards vanguardism, his ''Odas para el hombre y la mujer'' showed a blend of novelty and a more classical style. It is with this collection of poems that Marechal obtained his first official recognition as a poet in 1929, the ''Premio Municipal de Poesía'' of the city of Buenos Aires. He traveled to Europe for the first time in 1926 and in Paris met important intellectuals and artists such as
Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
, Basaldúa and
Antonio Berni Delesio Antonio Berni (14 May 1905 – 13 October 1981) was an Argentine figurative artist. He is associated with the movement known as ''Nuevo Realismo'' ("New Realism"), an Argentine extension of social realism. His work, including a serie ...
. On his second visit to Paris in 1929, he settled in
Montparnasse Montparnasse () is an area in the south of Paris, France, on the left bank of the river Seine, centred at the crossroads of the Boulevard du Montparnasse and the Rue de Rennes, between the Rue de Rennes and boulevard Raspail. Montparnasse has bee ...
and widened his circle of friends, which now included artists Aquiles Badi,
Alfredo Bigatti Alfredo Bigatti (1898–1964) was an Argentine sculptor, medalist, and visual artist. Born in Buenos Aires, Bigatti studied and then taught at the Academy of Fine Arts, and then toured numerous countries in Europe from 1924 through 1928, includin ...
, Horacio Butler, Juan del Prete, Raquel Forner, Victor Pissarro and the sculptor
José Fioravanti José Fioravanti (August 4, 1896 – October 10, 1977) was a prolific Argentine sculptor known for the many civic monuments he created. Life and work Fioravanti was born in Buenos Aires in 1896. He developed a very early interest in sculpture ...
, who later sculpted the poet's bust in bronze. It is during this second Parisian experience that Marechal wrote the first two chapters of his novel '' Adam Buenosayres'', which he did not publish until 1948. Some of its protagonists are based on his friends of the ''Martin Fierro'' group, including artist
Xul Solar Xul Solar was the adopted name of Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari (14 December 1887 – 9 April 1963), an Argentine painter, sculptor, writer, and inventor of imaginary languages. Biography Oscar Agustín Alejandro Schulz Solari was born ...
(as the astrologer Schultze), poet
Jacobo Fijman Jacobo Fijman (25 January 1898 – 1 December 1970) was an Argentine poet born in Orhei, Bessarabia, now in Moldova. He moved to Argentina with his parents in 1902. Raised in humble circumstances, Fijman was a highly intelligent child interested ...
(as the philosopher Samuel Tesler),
Jorge Luis Borges Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo (; ; 24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, as well as a key figure in Spanish-language and international literature. His best-known bo ...
(as Luis Pereda) and
Raúl Scalabrini Ortiz Raúl Scalabrini Ortiz (February 14, 1898 – May 30, 1959) was an Argentine writer, philosopher, journalist, essayist and poet, friend of Arturo Jauretche and Homero Manzi, and loosely associated with the political group ''Fuerza de Orientaci ...
(as "el petiso" Bernini). Back in Buenos Aires, Marechal married María Zoraida Barreiro in 1934. Their two daughters, María de los Ángeles and María Magdalena, were born some years after. Marechal again obtained the First Prize of the prestigious ''Premio Municipal de Poesía'' in 1940 for his poetry book entitled ''Sonetos a Sophia''. The poet's wife died in 1947, leaving him with two small children. The publication of the writer's ''Adam Buenosayres'', considered by many as the fundamental novel of
Argentine literature Argentine literature, i.e. the set of literary works produced by writers who originated from Argentina, is one of the most prolific, relevant and influential in the whole Spanish speaking world, with renowned writers such as Jorge Luis Borges, Ju ...
, did not have the expected repercussion, possibly due to the poet's open sympathies for the government of
Juan Domingo Perón ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
, the controversial populist leader greatly influenced by his radical wife
Evita Evita may refer to: Arts * Evita (1996 film), ''Evita'' (1996 film), a 1996 American musical drama film based on the 1976 concept album of the same name * Evita (2008 film), ''Evita'' (2008 film), a documentary about Eva Péron * Evita (album), ''E ...
. Among the novel's most ardent admirers was
Julio Cortázar Julio Florencio Cortázar (26 August 1914 – 12 February 1984; ) was an Argentine, nationalized French novelist, short story writer, essayist, and translator. Known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, Cortázar influenced an ent ...
, who wrote a long critical study in the literary magazine ''Realidad'' in 1949. Despite his and other writers' support, Marechal's novel and the rest of his monumental work remained widely ignored by many colleagues of the literary world, including
Jorge Luis Borges Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo (; ; 24 August 1899 – 14 June 1986) was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, as well as a key figure in Spanish-language and international literature. His best-known bo ...
, whose mother and sister had been imprisoned during Peron´s presidency. Although the seminal influence of his first and subsequent novels has tended to classify him mainly as a novelist, Marechal is first and foremost a poet of primary importance. In fact, even his first novel, which is mainly autobiographical, is in his own words an extension of poetry: "When I wrote ''Adán Buenosayres'' I never intended it to be other than poetry. Ever since my early youth, and taking
Aristotle Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatetic school of phil ...
's ''Poetics'' as my starting point, I have always believed that all literary genres are and should be types of poetry, whether epic, dramatic or lyrical." Marechal was not a widely recognized figure in
Argentine literature Argentine literature, i.e. the set of literary works produced by writers who originated from Argentina, is one of the most prolific, relevant and influential in the whole Spanish speaking world, with renowned writers such as Jorge Luis Borges, Ju ...
until the 1965 reprint of ''Adam Buenosayres'', which ignited a resurgence of interest in his work. His seminal novel has been translated into French by Patrice Toulat (Paris Grasset, Unesco 1995), into Italian by Nicola Jacchia (Vallecchi, Firenze 2010), and into English by Norman Cheadle and Sheila Ethier (McGill-Queen's University Press 2014). The poet was officially invited to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
in 1967, where he formed part of the international jury for the annual
Casa de las Américas prize The Casa de las Américas Prize (''Premio Literario Casa de las Américas'') is a literary award given by the Cuban Casa de las Américas. Established in 1959, it is one of Latin America’s oldest and most prestigious literary prizes. The award ...
for literature. Marechal has since become a fundamental influence in Argentine poetry and fiction, although he continues to be a relatively unknown figure on the international scene. Among his more well known literary disciples and friends are Argentine poets
Rafael Squirru Rafael Fernando Squirru (March 23, 1925 – March 5, 2016) was an Argentine poet, lecturer, art critic and essayist. Biographical notes Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Squirru was educated at Saint Andrew's Scot School and at the Jesuit El ...
and
Fernando Demaría Fernando Demaría (born in Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western ...
, to whom he dedicated his ''Heptameróns ''Poética'' and ''Alegropeya'', respectively. Marechal's daughters have established a foundation (see External links) for the diffusion of their father's work.


Work


Poetry

*''Los Aguiluchos'' (1922) *''Días Como Flechas'' (1926) *''Odas para el hombre y la mujer'' (1929) *''Laberinto de amor'' (1936) *''Cinco poemas australes'' (1937) *''El centauro'' (1940) *''Sonetos a Sophía'' (1940) *''Canto de San Martín o Cantata Sanmartiniana'' (1950) *''Heptamerón'' (1966) *''El poema de Robot'' (1966) *''Poema de la Física'' (posthumous publication)


Novels

*'' Adam Buenosayres'' (''Adán Buenosayres'') (1948) *''El banquete de Severo Arcángelo'' (1965) *''Megafón, o, La guerra'' (1970)


Essays

*''Historia de la calle Corrientes'', (1937) *''Vida de Santa Rosa de Lima'', (1943) *''Cuaderno de navegación'', (1966)


Translated novels

*''Adán Buenosayres'' (Paris Grasset, Unesco 1995, French translation by Patrice Toulat) *''Adán Buenosayres'' (Vallecchi, Firenze 2010, editor Claudio Ongaro Haelterman, Italian translation by Nicola Jacchia) *''Adán Buenosayres'' (English translation by Norman Cheadle, published by McGill-Queen's University Press, 2014)


Works about Leopoldo Marechal

*
Rafael Squirru Rafael Fernando Squirru (March 23, 1925 – March 5, 2016) was an Argentine poet, lecturer, art critic and essayist. Biographical notes Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Squirru was educated at Saint Andrew's Scot School and at the Jesuit El ...
, ''Leopoldo Marechal'', Buenos Aires, Ediciones Culturales Argentinas, 1961. *Coulson, Graciela, ''Marechal, la pasión metafísica'', Ediciones García Cambeiro, Buenos Aires, 1973, 190 p. *de Navascués, Javier, ''Adán Buenosayres: una novela total. Estudio narratológico'', Pamplona, EUNSA (Universidad de Navarra), 1992, 296 p. *Kröpfl Ulrike, ''Leopoldo Marechal oder die Rückkehr der Geschichte'', ''Vervuert Verlag''. Frankfurt am Main, 1995, 409 p. *Kröpfl, Ulrike, ''Cahiers d´Histoire des Littératures Romanes Romanistische Zeitschrift für Literaturgeschichte'', Universitätsverlag C. Winter Heidelberg, 21. Jahrgang, 1997, Sonderdruck, pp. 393–415. *Cheadle, Norman, ''The Ironic Apocalypse in the Novels of Leopoldo Marechal'', ''Colección Támesis''. Serie A, Monografías 183. Londres: Támesis Books, 2000. *Podeur, Jean-François, ''Don Juan, de Leopoldo Marechal: du Mythe à l´allégorie du salut'', ''Theatres du Monde, Université d´Avignon, Institut de Recherches Internationales sur les Arts du Spectacle, Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines, Cahier Nº 3'', 1993. *Lojo de Beuter, María Rosa, ''La mujer simbólica en la narrativa de Leopoldo Marechal'', Ensayos de crítica literaria. Año 1983. Buenos Aires: Editorial de Belgrano, 1983. *Cavallari, Héctor Mario, "Leopoldo Marechal: El espacio de los signos", Xalapa, México: Universidad Veracruzana, 1981.


References


Sources

*Gordon, Ambrose. "Marechal, Leopoldo." In ''Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century'' Revised Edition, ed. Leonard S. Klein (New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1983)


External links


La Fundación Leopoldo Marechal
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marechal, Leopoldo Argentine male poets Argentine male novelists Argentine people of French descent 1900 births 1970 deaths Argentine essayists Male essayists Argentine dramatists and playwrights Writers from Buenos Aires 20th-century Argentine poets 20th-century Argentine male writers 20th-century Argentine novelists 20th-century dramatists and playwrights Male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century essayists