Dulce Maria Loynaz
Biographical Information
Dulce Maria Loynaz was born in Havana, Cuba on December 10, 1902. She lived in Havana her entire life. She died there on April 27, 1997.
Maria's father was General Enrique Loynaz del Castillo who was a hero in the war for independence from Spain at the turn of the 20th century. He also was the author and composer of "the national anthem" of Cuba's rebel troops. Her mother was María de las Mercedes Muñoz Sañudo and she came from a very wealthy and prominent family of 19th century Cuba. Maria's mother was also artistically and musically talented. Maria was the oldest of four children. Her brother Enrique was two years younger than her, her brother Carlos Manuel was four years younger than her, and her sister Flor was six years younger than her. Maria married Pablo Alvarez de Cana who was a Spanish society journalist who promoted her work until he left Cuba.
Maria and her three younger siblings were never sent to school, but were tutored at home by many instructors. Her siblings became poets too. They all learned several languages including French. French poetry influenced Maria's writing. She graduated from the University of Havana with a law degree in 1927.
Maria enjoyed the arts. She, her husband, and her brothers and sister were in a very select social circle that was focused on the arts. Some of her friends remember attending salons or gatherings that involved art at her house when they were teenagers.
Maria's father was General Enrique Loynaz del Castillo who was a hero in the war for independence from Spain at the turn of the 20th century. He also was the author and composer of "the national anthem" of Cuba's rebel troops. Her mother was María de las Mercedes Muñoz Sañudo and she came from a very wealthy and prominent family of 19th century Cuba. Maria's mother was also artistically and musically talented. Maria was the oldest of four children. Her brother Enrique was two years younger than her, her brother Carlos Manuel was four years younger than her, and her sister Flor was six years younger than her. Maria married Pablo Alvarez de Cana who was a Spanish society journalist who promoted her work until he left Cuba.
Maria and her three younger siblings were never sent to school, but were tutored at home by many instructors. Her siblings became poets too. They all learned several languages including French. French poetry influenced Maria's writing. She graduated from the University of Havana with a law degree in 1927.
Maria enjoyed the arts. She, her husband, and her brothers and sister were in a very select social circle that was focused on the arts. Some of her friends remember attending salons or gatherings that involved art at her house when they were teenagers.
Contribution and Achievements
Dulce Maria Loynaz is often compared to Gabriela Mistral, Juana de Ibarbourou, Alfonsina Storni, and Delmira Agustini who were other great Latin American women poets of the 20th century. Some people compare her to American poet Emily Dickinson as well.
Maria is known for the travel memoir Un verano en Tenerife, the novel Jardín, three slim volumes of poetry, and several separately published chapbooks. One of her well know poems is "Love Letter to King Tutankhamen" which was published in 1938. She wrote it after she visited the tomb of King Tut. It was one of her more important longer poems because it revealed her frankness and literalness which underlies the poem's fancifulness and makes it a master piece.
Maria wrote poetry for most of her life, but did not become well known and popular until much later in her life. Her work was discovered by a large audience when she was in her 80s. She then became a celebrity for the remainder of her life. She received two awards, the 1987 Cuban National Prize for Literature and the 1992 Cervantes Prize. The Cervantes Prize is known as the highest prize in Spanish literature.
Maria is known for the travel memoir Un verano en Tenerife, the novel Jardín, three slim volumes of poetry, and several separately published chapbooks. One of her well know poems is "Love Letter to King Tutankhamen" which was published in 1938. She wrote it after she visited the tomb of King Tut. It was one of her more important longer poems because it revealed her frankness and literalness which underlies the poem's fancifulness and makes it a master piece.
Maria wrote poetry for most of her life, but did not become well known and popular until much later in her life. Her work was discovered by a large audience when she was in her 80s. She then became a celebrity for the remainder of her life. She received two awards, the 1987 Cuban National Prize for Literature and the 1992 Cervantes Prize. The Cervantes Prize is known as the highest prize in Spanish literature.
Quotations
1. "I understood that my book was superfluous, that it did not add anything, and anyone who writes should at least aspire to be original." Maria said this when she was talking about a book she never finished. She believed that writers should try to say something new or that has never been said before.
2. “I was here first.” Maria said this when she was explaining why she didn't leave Cuba after the Communist Revolution succeeded in 1959. She had lived in Cuba her whole life and was not going to let the fact that Cuba was going to be a communist country force her to leave the country she lived in.
3. "In my life I have shed so many tears for this man that I had none left to pour into his tomb.." Maria said this when she was talking about her husband Pablo. When Cuba became a communist country he left Cuba for over 10 years then came back to Cuba when he was terminally ill and died. She had probably experienced the equivalent of his death when he left Cuba for so long and she had already cried and grieved over him enough. She didn't need to cry more.
4. Maria called the Cervantes prize “a secret door into heaven.” She would not have become as famous as she was if she hadn't been recgonized by receiving this award. She was thankful and happy that she received this award because she became much more well known and famous from it.
2. “I was here first.” Maria said this when she was explaining why she didn't leave Cuba after the Communist Revolution succeeded in 1959. She had lived in Cuba her whole life and was not going to let the fact that Cuba was going to be a communist country force her to leave the country she lived in.
3. "In my life I have shed so many tears for this man that I had none left to pour into his tomb.." Maria said this when she was talking about her husband Pablo. When Cuba became a communist country he left Cuba for over 10 years then came back to Cuba when he was terminally ill and died. She had probably experienced the equivalent of his death when he left Cuba for so long and she had already cried and grieved over him enough. She didn't need to cry more.
4. Maria called the Cervantes prize “a secret door into heaven.” She would not have become as famous as she was if she hadn't been recgonized by receiving this award. She was thankful and happy that she received this award because she became much more well known and famous from it.
Questions
If we could ask Maria 5 questions they would be:
1. What was your inspiration for your poetry?
2. Why do you enjoy writing poetry?
3. Who influenced you the most?
4. Did events in your life affect what you wrote?
5. What was your favorite poem to write?
1. What was your inspiration for your poetry?
2. Why do you enjoy writing poetry?
3. Who influenced you the most?
4. Did events in your life affect what you wrote?
5. What was your favorite poem to write?
