Jose Asuncion Silva (1865-1896) was a Colombian writer and poet whose work is considered one of the most outstanding of the 19th century. The literary creation of this author was framed within the modernist current.
It is not strange that the author stood out in the world of letters, since Silva's childhood was marked by the constant literary atmosphere that existed in his home. While the writer was a fast learner, the shadow of depression and family poverty were always present and led him to commit suicide..
As for his literary work, his poems were characterized by the use of a cultured and expressive language. The verses of José Asunción in his last stage fit into romanticism. In the scarce production of the author, nostalgia and reflection stand out. Some of his most notorious titles were: The book of verses and Intimacies.
Article index
José Asunción Salustiano Facundo Silva Gómez was born on November 27, 1865 in Bogotá, Colombia. The author came from a cultured family with a good socioeconomic status. His parents were the writer and merchant Ricardo Silva Frade and Vicenta Gómez Diago. Silva had five siblings: Guillermo, Elvira, Alfonso, Inés and Julia.
José Asunción Silva was a precocious child, he learned to read and write at the age of three. He entered the Children's Lyceum in 1869, but not to the degree that corresponded to him due to his age, but he was advanced two years due to his knowledge.
After that he studied at the Colegio San José, from 1871 to 1876. At that time he wrote his first verses.
After that, Silva returned to the Liceo de la Infancia in 1877 and continued to demonstrate his talents as an exceptional student. José Asunción suffered the loss of his brothers Guillermo and Alfonso during his years of educational training. Some time later, the writer left his studies due to the economic situation of the family.
Silva could not finish his studies for financial reasons, so he began working in his father's business in 1878. That same year his sister Inés passed away. Around that time, the poet alternated working hours with the writing of his verses. The new author began his first poetry collection in 1880 with "Las ondinas".
The Silva economy took a breather in 1881 and that led José Asunción's father to buy the Chantilly farm in Chapinero. There, the writer had several moments of poetic inspiration. Later, the poet published several of his verses and prose on the pages of the Illustrated Newspaper in 1882.
José Asunción Silva had a vast knowledge of French literature at a young age and had command of the language. So he began translating the works of various writers in 1883, most notably Victor Hugo and Pierre de Béranger. Some of his translations were published in the Illustrated Newspaper.
Later, Silva brought to light "You will find poetry" in the publication The Liberal in 1884, which was considered his first official work as a poet. On that same date he finished writing a compendium of poetry developed between 1880 and 1884 and which he titled Intimacies.
The writer achieved financial independence in 1884, when his father gave him shares in his company. Silva then traveled to Paris to complete his academic training, but his objective was cut short after the death of his uncle Antonio María Silva Fortoul, who would receive him. So he went into business at the request of his father.
José Asunción took advantage of the time to get to know Switzerland, Holland, London, Italy and Belgium and soaked up the literary trends of the time. In that period he met intellectuals such as: Paul Bourget, Stephane Mallarmé and James Whistler, all of them influenced his later literary work..
Silva returned to his country in 1886 after two years in Europe. On that date, the family's business reached its most critical point. However, the poet quickly joined the cultural and literary activity. José Asunción published several verses in The Siesta of Bogotá and in The telegram.
Later, the writer took part in the Fine Arts painting exhibition with "A Duel", a reproduction of the London artist Samuel Edmond. Later, "The chrysalides" was published in the anthology Colombian Parnassus. At that time the author suffered the losses of his teacher Ricardo Carrasquilla and his friend Joaquín González
The intellectual remained constant in the development of his poetry. Silva began working as a collaborator in The miscellany, publication that circulated in the city of Medellín. The author also unveiled his "Modern Workshop" in honor of his friend Alberto Urdaneta.
He lost his father in 1887 and had to take care of what little was left of the family's business. So he decided to make some changes in investing in coffee marketing. The author tried to attract customers through advertising based on poems.
Silva grew up on a literary and economic level in the late eighties of the nineteenth century. At that time, the writer published the essay "Light Criticism" on the pages of The Sunday Telegram and continued to publish interviews and articles in The miscellany.
On the other hand, the intellectual achieved some economic stability with the expansion of his stores. He was in charge of giving Colombians aesthetic knowledge through the European style of his stores and frequently brought innovative products created in the Old World to his country..
Silva's fame as a writer and poet was constantly growing. The intellectual began to develop literary gatherings at his home in 1889, which were attended by personalities such as Emilio Cuervo and Sanín Cano. On that date the writer began to write Bitter drops and published the poem "Ronda".
At that time, José Asunción became a member of the board of the Sociedad Filantrópica de Socorros Mutuos of the Colombian capital. The speech he gave when he joined the organization was of a political nature and caused discomfort among the elites of society.
Silva's economic situation collapsed in 1890 after the crises that his country experienced due to frequent social and political conflicts. This is how the writer went through one of the most difficult stages of his life. Added to this was the death of her sister and friend Elvira in 1891.
The loss of Elvira plunged José Asunción into a severe depression. He took refuge in writing and published a literary material in honor of his sister in The telegram. It was at this time that the author began to produce one of his best-known works. The book of verses.
José Asunción's financial failure forced him to sell several of his properties, including the Chantilly farm. Writing was his consolation. In that period he wrote "One night" which reflected his state of mind and the loss of all his material efforts..
Joining all his existential shock was the death of his grandmother María Frade in 1892. Silva definitively retired from business in 1893 and devoted himself entirely to journalism and literature..
In that same year, the writer undertook the project of writing historical novels about life in the Colombian capital. In addition to that, Silva dedicated himself to making several translations.
José Asunción Silva served as a diplomat in 1894, after being appointed a member of his country's delegation in Caracas, Venezuela. He was received in a good way for his literary fame. Along with his work as ambassador, he participated in various print media of the time, such as Cosmopolis Y The Illustrated Lame.
The author kept writing for several Colombian newspapers and published the poems "Symphony color of strawberry with milk" and "Acuarelas". Silva's diplomatic work lasted until 1895, this due to disagreements with some authorities. After the cessation of activities, he decided to return to his hometown.
The return trip to Colombia was not pleasant, the ship was wrecked off the coast of Barranquilla and the author lost several of his writings. Silva managed to recover and published the text "Twilight" in the newspaper The Herald.
In 1895 the poet wrote "At the foot of the statue" in honor of the Liberator Simón Bolívar and at the request of the then consul of Venezuela in Bogotá. The poem was not well received within political circles for its "Bolivarian" content..
In the last year of his life, the writer tried to return to business with the establishment of a mosaic company, but to no avail. So he continued with the writing of poems and finished the works Desktop Y The book of verses.
The day before his death, José Asunción attended a dinner that his mother offered to the families of Bogota's high satiety. There he recited the poem "Don Juan de Covadonga". Silva was found shot to death at his residence on May 24, 1896, with the investigations concluding that it was a suicide..
José Asunción Silva's literary style was framed within modernism, although his first poems had post-romantic characteristics. The writer used a cultured, precise and expressive language. His opening poems stood out for the mysterious and dark content.
The general theme of Silva's verses was related to childhood, nostalgia, loneliness, the end of existence, love, hopelessness, heartbreak and history. Many of the poems by this Colombian writer were reflective and reflected his moods. As for his prose, it was satirical, moral and social..
The poetry of José Asunción Silva stood out for the constant creativity and innovation that the writer impressed on it. The author was in charge of transforming the traditional meter of the verses to give them intonation and sound. His main intention was to strip poems of static and rigidity.
- The book of verses (posthumous publication, 1923).
- Intimacies (posthumous edition, 1977).
- "At the foot of the statue".
- "Childhood". Poem.
- Night: I, II and III
- Desktop. Novel.
- “Ash or Day of the Dead”. Poem.
- Bitter drops. Poetry.
- "Don Juan de Covadonga". Poem.
- "His two tables".
- "Watercolors". Poem.
- "Symphony color of strawberry with milk." Poem.
- "Lazarus". Poem.
- "Gustavo Adolfo Becquer". Test.
- "Light criticism." Test.
- "Rafael Núñez". Test.
- "For the love of Louis." Test.
- "One night". Poem.
- "Transpositions". Poem.
- "Elvira Silva G.". Poem.
- "The protest of the muse".
- "Round". Poem.
- "Old age". Poem.
- "The undines." Poem.
- "Confidential". Poem.
- "You will find poetry".
- "The chrysalis." Poem.
- "To a pessimist." Poem.
- "To Ariana." Poem.
- "Adriana". Poem.
- "In the reader's ear." Poem.
- "Look into my soul." Poem.
- "Dawn". Poem.
- "Edenia". Poem.
- "Idyll". Poem.
- "Together the two." Poem.
- "Moonlight". Poem.
- "Madrigal". Poem.
- "Butterflies". Poem.
- "Melancholia". Poem.
- "Midnight dreams". Poem.
- "Missed notes." Poem.
- "A poem". Poem.
- "Reality". Poem.
- "Remember?". Poem.
- "Sub-umbra". Poem.
- "Sigh". Poem.
- "Psychopathy". Poem.
This poetic work by Silva was composed of more than fifty-nine lyrical texts, which were written by the author between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. Most of the verses belonged to the romanticism movement. The poems were characterized by being emotional and dark at the same time.
This literary production of José Asunción Silva was made fully known more than half a century after his death. The work was officially published in 1977.
"When the girl is still ill
came out a certain morning
and walked, with uncertain step,
the neighboring mountain,
brought among a bouquet of wild flowers
hides a chrysalis,
that in his room he placed, very close
of the white bed.
A few days later, at the moment
in which she expired,
and everyone saw her, with their eyes
clouded by tears,
the instant he died, we felt
slight rustle of wings,
and we saw escape, take flight
through the old window
that overlooks the garden, a small
golden butterfly ...
The now empty prison of the insect
I searched with a quick view;
when I saw her I saw the deceased girl
the pale and withered forehead,
and I thought, if when leaving his jail sad
the winged butterfly,
light finds and immense space,
and the country auras,
when leaving the prison that encloses them
what will souls find? ... ".
It was one of the most important works of the author's literary production and its development took place in the last years of his life. The compendium of poems in this text was nostalgic in content and most of the verses evoked the writer's childhood years.
In the poems, the author reflected the longing for the past in relation to the agony and despair that he lived in his adult life after the economic inconveniences. This book was one of the few that the writer left ready for publication, however, it was released two decades after his suicide.
"With the vague memory of the
things
that beautify time and
distance,
return to souls
loving
which flocks of white
butterflies,
the placid memories of the
childhood…
On wings of the breeze
of the bright August, white,
restless
to the region of the wanderers
clouds
make the
Kite
in humid morning;
with the new dress made
shreds
on the gummy branches of the
cherry ...
The simple stories
pilgrims;
chase the wandering
swallows,
leave school
and organize a horrendous battle
where they make the stones of
shrapnel
and the worn handkerchief of
flag… ".
This work by the Colombian writer was distinguished by its satirical and ironic content. This collection of poems by Silva was made up of fifteen compositions, through which the author highlighted themes related to humanity and 19th century society from his incredulous perception of life..
The poems that made up this work were:
- "Avant-propos".
- "Capsules".
- "The evil of the century".
- "The answer of the earth".
- "Other people's lenses".
- "Madrigal".
- "Diseases of childhood".
- "Psychotherapeutic".
- "Future".
- "Zoospermos".
- "Philosophies".
- "Idyll".
- "Egalité".
- "Resurrexit".
- "Yaqui stupidity".
-She idolized him and He adored her ...
-Did they finally get married?
-No sir, she married someone else
-And did he die of suffering?
-No sir, from an abortion.
-And did He, the poor man, put an end to his life?
-No sir, he got married six months earlier
of Ella's marriage, and she's happy.
It was a novel developed within the parameters of modernism. The content was related to the Colombian way of life outside its territory. The main protagonist was José Fernández, who lived for a time in Europe.
Upon his return to Bogotá, the main character organized meetings at his home to read and discuss his experience outside of his country. In this work the writer reflected four individualities of the soul: the artist, the philosopher, the enjoyer and the analyst. Silva showed part of his tastes and hobbies in this novel.
“… You have to paint another painting in midair like Bastien's and enclose in it a spring landscape, where above an orgy of luminous tones, pale pinks, tender greens, you can hear birdsong and crystalline murmurs of water and peasant smells of sap and nests are breathed ...
"The poor foliage of the trees that grow in the heavy atmosphere of the city, and on the white outer boulevard, still and in a resting position to surprise in them, not the momentary gesture of the action but the mysterious rhythm and expression of life… ".
"Next to the crib is not yet lit
The warm lamp that rejoices and rests,
And it filters opaque, through curtains
Of the sad afternoon the bluish light ...
Tired children suspend games,
Noisy strangers come from the street,
Right now, in every room,
The sleeping goblins are waking up.
Floats in it poor Rin Rin Tadpole,
Run and flee the sad little mouse Pérez,
And the form of the tragic darkens her
Bluebeard, who kills his seven women.
In vast and unknown distances,
That raises up in the dark corners,
Puss in Boots walk in the meadows,
And the Wolf who marches with Little Red Riding Hood.
And, nimble knight, crossing the jungle,
Do vibrates the funereal bark of a gozque,
The blond prince goes to escape lying
To see the Beautiful Sleeper in the Forest ... ".
Silva's importance in Spanish literature and the quality of his poetry made him a man worthy of being remembered and honored. This is how the Bank of the Republic of Colombia designed the five thousand peso bill with its image on the front and on the back the poem "Melancolía" since 2016.
One of the most relevant recognitions to the writer was the creation of the Silva Poetry House, which was founded on May 23, 1986 to commemorate the ninety years of the author's death..
This institution was the first of its kind in Colombia and aims to research and share poetry in Spanish from all eras.
- "There is too much shadow in your visions".
- "I'm nostalgic for our Sunday afternoons ...".
- "There is nothing new in the chronicle of the city that draws attention ...".
- "Oh! Everything will pass: smiling childhood, smiling youth, manhood that dreams in the future ... ".
- “I live an unlikely life. I don't see anyone: I work all day and half of the night ... ".
- "... In the face of solemn penalties and eternal separations, all words are unnecessary ...".
- "I have to write at home taking advantage of the nights, because the days are completely busy".
- "The black and mystical forest was the dark bedroom".
- "A wandering firefly lit up our kiss".
- "I have no news to tell you about business except the increase in difficulties ...".
Yet No Comments