Darío, Rubén (r

bĕn` därē`ō), 1867–1916, Nicaraguan poet, originally named Félix Rubén García Sarmiento. A child prodigy, he gained a thorough knowledge of Spanish and French cultures through reading; it was then widened during many years abroad in both South America and Europe as diplomatic representative of various Spanish American countries. He was particularly influenced by the writings of the French Parnassians. Darío was the leader and founder of modernismo modernismo (mōthārnē`smō), movement in Spanish literature that had its beginning in Latin America.
..... Click the link for more information. , emphasizing perfection of form, musical expression, and an ineffable sadness related to that of French symbolist poetry. His influence on contemporary Spanish and Spanish American writers was enormous. Azul [blue], written in 1888 when he was 21, revolutionized the whole of Spanish syntax and metrics; it was followed by Prosas profanas (1896), a departure from pure form and content to grace, beauty, and exoticism. Cantos de vida y esperanza [songs of life and hope] (1905) is concerned with the future of Spanish America. El canto errante [the wandering song] (1907) shows Darío's elegance strengthened by considerable power and technical mastery. His profound work "Poema del otoño" [autumn's poem] (1910) is often considered his masterpiece.

Bibliography

See his Selected Poems (tr. 1965); biography by C. D. Watland (1965); studies by C. Jrade (1983), P. Pearsall (1984), and S. Ingwersen (1986).

Darío, Rubén

pseudonym of Félix Rubén García Sarmiento

Rubén Darío.

(credit: Courtesy of the Archivo General de la Nacion, Buenos Aires)

(born Jan. 18, 1867, Metapa, Nic.—died Feb. 6, 1916, León) Nicaraguan poet, journalist, and diplomat. At age 19 he began the travels in Europe and the Americas that would continue throughout his life. The diverse collection Azul (1888), written in an innovative simple, direct style, is his first major work. As a diplomat in Buenos Aires (from 1893), he became the centre of the new Modernismo movement. His Profane Hymns (1896) was influenced by the French Symbolists. As a journalist in Europe he became increasingly concerned with issues of imperialism and nationalism. Songs of Life and Hope (1905) represents the culmination of his technical experimentation and artistic resourcefulness. In addition to his poetry, he wrote about 100 short stories.