Author: Luis Cernuda
Profile: Luis Cernuda y Bidon or Luis Cernuda was a Spanish poet, critic and member of the Generation of ’27. He was born on September 21, 1902 in Sevilla, Spain and died on November 05, 1963 in Mexico City. He received a degree in Law in 1925 from the University of Sevilla (Seville). He published a number of poems in 1925 some of which were read at the tercentenary of Luis de Gongora besides which Perfil del aire (Profile of the Wind) his collection was published. Poems he wrote later on were influenced by Surrealism and depict an increasing bitterness towards life. The homosexual orientation he faced was influential in his work. All poems written by him were often expanded and reissued in La realidad y el deseo (Reality and Desire).
Luis Cernuda went to the UK, in early 1938, during the Spanish War to deliver some lecturers. This visit became the beginning of his exile that continued till the end of his life.
In 1938 he worked as a profession in Britain while being a supporter of the Spanish Republic Cernuda. He also taught in the United States at the Mount Holyoke College from 1947 to 1952. In 1951 after visiting Mexico he settled there in 1952, published poem collections using Mexican and classical myths for reference and also published criticism of earlier poets.
Writing style: Poets like Luis Cernuda, Jorge Guillen, Damaso Alonso, Vicente Aleixandre, Gerardo Diego and Pedro Salinas of , ‘The Generation of 1927’ were poets influenced by the wider European movements as Surrealism, Futurism and Symbolism. These poets helped in the introduction of tenets of these movements into Spanish literature. Being a member of the Generation of 1927, the gulf between what is wished and what can be achieved is expressed in his work.
Published Texts:
1964 – All poems published posthumously in the final edition of Realidad y deseo
1971 – The Poetry of Luis Cernuda
Awards and Acknowledgements:
2004 – Lambda Literary Award for Gay Men’s Poetry
