Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá
Encyclopedia
Hugo Rodríguez-Alcalá was a Paraguay
an writer
, essayist, poet
, narrator
and literature critic
. Doctorate in Laws and Social Sciences by the National University of Asunción in 1943, and in Philosophy
and Literature
by the Wisconsin University in 1953.
. He investigated a lot in the poetry and narrative from Paraguay, giving to know books that approaches us not just to the writer and his social context, but also instruct us, level us to the logic, because with his concise writing technique made possible the easy understanding of our literature.
Master of Arts in Foreign Languages (University of Washington
, 1949), he retired after almost 40 years of superior teaching in universities as the Columbia University, the Rutgers University, the University of Washington, the University of California
, among others. During that period he resided in the USA.
He was the founder and first director of the Department of Hispanic Studies of the University of California, Riverside. Returned to Asunción in 1982 where he directed the Short Story Literary Workshop since 1983 and collaborating with many magazines and literary sections –both local and foreign– of the subject.
He was chief writer of the "Commemorative Series" from the University of California, member of the editorial council of many important literary magazines.
He directed the collection "Cuentos de Taller" (Stories from Workshop) from his Short Story Workshop, created in the Club Centenario, having 5 books published (1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992) plus one more in 1994. That workshop was very useful for many Paraguayan narrators who saw their stories published in numerous editions.
He was included in bibliographic dictionaries like "Who's Who in America", "Who's Who in Latin America", "The National Register of Prominent Americans", "Directory of American Scholars", among others.
In Mexico
he was director of the Studies Center of the University of California, between 1972 and 1974. He was president of the Paraguayan Academy of the Spanish Language from 1989 to 1994.
With the poets Elvio Romero
, Josefina Plá
, Hérib Campos Cervera
, Oscar Ferreiro and Augusto Roa Bastos
, he was a part of the brilliant, unique and poetic generation of the '40's.
Medal conferred by the Government of Chile
in 1996. He also obtained the academic grade of "Professor Above Scale" besides many other honors and awards.
On November 1982, the University of California conferred him the title of "Professor Emeritus".
His narrative work include:
In poetry has published, among others, the poem books:
He authored almost 4 books of literary history such as Latin-American Literature of the Illustration (Madrid
, 1979), Latin-American Literature of the Independence, (Madrid, 1980), and philosophic and literary essays as "From North to South" (México, 1960).
We can mention the next as one of his most outstanding poems:
Fue la ilusión primera.
Vi una puerta entreabierta
que daba a un patio.
Vi sobre baldosas crearse y deshacerse
copas brillantes, sin ruido.
Vi las mojadas plantas,
vi el paredón mojado,
vi el viento impetuoso
que aplastaba
las copas instantáneas sobre el piso.
Vi contra el cielo oscuro
un tremolar de sábanas de fuego.
Vi el agua, el agua interminable
sobre los vahos del verano.
Vi, dentro, luz eléctrica:
vi unas figuras vagas
mirar la lluvia.
Yo, tras cristales húmedos,
estaba, en brazos fuertes, mudo y tibio
Afuera, la frescura
y la cristalería renovada
sobre el piso.
Y el viento rápido
que iba y volvía impetuoso…
Fue la ilusión primera.
Fue el principio del mundo.
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, essayist, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
and literature critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
. Doctorate in Laws and Social Sciences by the National University of Asunción in 1943, and in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
by the Wisconsin University in 1953.
Career
He was a fine poet and an advanced critic. Maybe he was the most notable critic from ParaguayParaguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. He investigated a lot in the poetry and narrative from Paraguay, giving to know books that approaches us not just to the writer and his social context, but also instruct us, level us to the logic, because with his concise writing technique made possible the easy understanding of our literature.
Master of Arts in Foreign Languages (University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, 1949), he retired after almost 40 years of superior teaching in universities as the Columbia University, the Rutgers University, the University of Washington, the University of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, among others. During that period he resided in the USA.
He was the founder and first director of the Department of Hispanic Studies of the University of California, Riverside. Returned to Asunción in 1982 where he directed the Short Story Literary Workshop since 1983 and collaborating with many magazines and literary sections –both local and foreign– of the subject.
He was chief writer of the "Commemorative Series" from the University of California, member of the editorial council of many important literary magazines.
He directed the collection "Cuentos de Taller" (Stories from Workshop) from his Short Story Workshop, created in the Club Centenario, having 5 books published (1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992) plus one more in 1994. That workshop was very useful for many Paraguayan narrators who saw their stories published in numerous editions.
He was included in bibliographic dictionaries like "Who's Who in America", "Who's Who in Latin America", "The National Register of Prominent Americans", "Directory of American Scholars", among others.
In Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
he was director of the Studies Center of the University of California, between 1972 and 1974. He was president of the Paraguayan Academy of the Spanish Language from 1989 to 1994.
With the poets Elvio Romero
Elvio Romero
Elvio Romero was born in Yegros, Paraguay, in 1926. He straddled the decades of the 1940s and 1950s in the history of Paraguayan poetry.- Childhood and youth :...
, Josefina Plá
Josefina Pla
Josefina Pla was a Spanish poet, playwright, art critic, painter and journalist....
, Hérib Campos Cervera
Hérib Campos Cervera
Paraguayan poet Hérib Campos Cervera was born in Asunción, Paraguay, on March 30, 1905, son of Spanish parents, Herib Campos Cervera, also a poet, and of Alicia Diaz Perez, sister of the great intellectual Viriato Díaz Pérez.-Childhood and youth:...
, Oscar Ferreiro and Augusto Roa Bastos
Augusto Roa Bastos
Augusto Roa Bastos, was a noted Paraguayan novelist and short story writer, and one of the most important Latin American writers of the 20th century. As a teenager he fought in the Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, and he later worked as a journalist, screenwriter and professor...
, he was a part of the brilliant, unique and poetic generation of the '40's.
Awards
Among his most important awards are the Humanities and Arts Award from USA in 1969 and the Gabriela MistralGabriela Mistral
Gabriela Mistral was the pseudonym of Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga, a Chilean poet, educator, diplomat, and feminist who was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945...
Medal conferred by the Government of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in 1996. He also obtained the academic grade of "Professor Above Scale" besides many other honors and awards.
On November 1982, the University of California conferred him the title of "Professor Emeritus".
Mentions
Among the most important are the National Literature Award in 1999 for the poem book Tierra Adentro (Inner Land). When received it, he said: "From all the awards that I've received, few have touched me as this one".Work
From his essayist and critic work the most outstanding are:- El arte de Juan Rulfo (The Art of Juan Rulfo). 1965.
- Sugestión e Ilusión (Suggestion and Illusion). 1967.
- Historia de la literatura paraguaya (History of the Paraguayan Literature). 1970.
- Narrativa hispanoamericana (Spain-American Narrative). 1970.
- Ricardo Güiraldes: apología y detracción (Ricardo Güiraldes: Apology and Detraction). 1986.
His narrative work include:
- Relatos del Norte y del Sur (Tales from the North and the South). 1983.
- El Ojo del Bosque: Historias de Gente Varia / Historias de Soldados (The Eye of the Forest: Tales of Various People / Tales of Soldiers). 1985.
In poetry has published, among others, the poem books:
- El canto del aljibe (The Sing of the Reservoir). 1973.
- El portón invisible (The Invisible Gate). 1983.
- Terror bajo la luna (Terror Under the Moon). 1983.
He authored almost 4 books of literary history such as Latin-American Literature of the Illustration (Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, 1979), Latin-American Literature of the Independence, (Madrid, 1980), and philosophic and literary essays as "From North to South" (México, 1960).
We can mention the next as one of his most outstanding poems:
Primer Recuerdo (First Memory)
Primero fue la lluviaFue la ilusión primera.
Vi una puerta entreabierta
que daba a un patio.
Vi sobre baldosas crearse y deshacerse
copas brillantes, sin ruido.
Vi las mojadas plantas,
vi el paredón mojado,
vi el viento impetuoso
que aplastaba
las copas instantáneas sobre el piso.
Vi contra el cielo oscuro
un tremolar de sábanas de fuego.
Vi el agua, el agua interminable
sobre los vahos del verano.
Vi, dentro, luz eléctrica:
vi unas figuras vagas
mirar la lluvia.
Yo, tras cristales húmedos,
estaba, en brazos fuertes, mudo y tibio
Afuera, la frescura
y la cristalería renovada
sobre el piso.
Y el viento rápido
que iba y volvía impetuoso…
Fue la ilusión primera.
Fue el principio del mundo.