Juan Zorrilla de San Martín (28 December 1855 – 3 November 1931) was an Uruguayan epic poet and political figure. He is referred to as the "National Poet of Uruguay".

Well-known poems

Two of Zorrilla's best-known poems are '' Tabaré'' (the national poem for Uruguayans) and '' La leyenda patria'' ("The Fatherland Legend"). He also wrote the ''Hymn to the Tree'' (''Himno al Arbol''), a well-known Spanish poem later made a song in several Latin-American countries.

Personal background

As a political figure, Zorrilla served as a Deputy for

Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

from 1888 to 1991 and served as ambassador several periods. He also worked as a journalist and helped establish the Catholic newspaper ''El Bien Público''. He was twice widowed, and left 13 children when he died, one of whom was José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín. His grandson Alejandro Zorrilla de San Martín was to serve as a prominent Deputy, Minister and Senator. One of his granddaughters was actress

China Zorrilla China Zorrilla (; born Concepción Matilde Zorrilla de San Martín Muñoz; 14 March 1922 – 17 September 2014) was an Uruguayan theater, film, and television actress, also director, producer and writer. An immensely popular star in the Riopl ...

. Another granddaughter, Guma Zorrilla, was a theater costume designer.

Honours

Zorrilla's home in

is now a museum. He was featured in the 20,000 pesos banknote (1989–1991), and is featured on the 20 pesos note (since 1994).Uruguay 20 Pesos Uruguayos
Banknote.ws. Accessed 12 November 2022.

Works

Poems

* ''Notas de un himno'' (1877) * '' La leyenda patria'' (1879) * ''Tabaré'' (1888) * ''La epopeya de Artigas'' (1910) * ''Rimas y leyendas:'' ** ''El ángel de los charrúas'' ** ''Imposible'' ** ''Odio y amor'' ** ''Siemprevivas'' ** ''Tu y yo'' ** ''Himno al árbol'' ** ''Vestales''

Essays

* ''Discurso de La Rábida'' (1892) * ''Resonancia del camino'' (1896) * ''Huerto cerrado'' (1900) * ''Conferencias y discursos'' (1905), * ''Detalles de la historia rioplatense'' (1917) * ''El sermón de la paz'' (1924) * ''El libro de Rut'' (1928) * ''Ituzaingó'' * '' Artigas''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zorrilla de San Martin, Juan 19th-century Uruguayan poets Uruguayan male poets 1855 births 1931 deaths Writers from Montevideo Uruguayan diplomats Ambassadors of Uruguay to France Ambassadors of Uruguay to the Holy See Ambassadors of Uruguay to Spain Members of the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay Burials at the Central Cemetery of Montevideo Catholic poets 19th-century male writers