Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo
Encyclopedia
Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo (November 3, 1856 – May 2, 1912) was a Spanish scholar, historian and literary critic
. Even though his main interest was the History of ideas
, and Hispanic philology
in general, he also cultivated poetry
, translation
and philosophy
.
He was born at Santander
where he showed that he was an infant prodigy. Only 15 years old, he studied under Manuel Milà i Fontanals
at the University of Barcelona
(1871–1872), then proceeded to the central University of Madrid
. His academic success was unprecedented; a special law was passed by the Cortes to enable him to become a professor at the age of twenty-two. Three years later he was elected a member of the Real Academia Española
; but by this time he was well known throughout Spain.
His first volume, Estudios críticos sobre escritores montañeses (1876), had attracted little notice, and his scholarly Horacio en Español (1877) appealed only to students. He became famous, through his Ciencia española (1878), a collection of polemical essays defending the national tradition against the attacks of political and religious reformers. The unbending orthodoxy of this work is even more noticeable in the Historia de los heterodoxos españoles (1880–1886), and the writer was hailed as the champion of the ultramontane
party. As the Catholic Encyclopedia (1908–10) described his work "Every page of his writings reveals a wealth of strong common sense, clear perception, and a vein of wonderful and ever varying erudition. Thoroughly Catholic in spirit, he found his greatest delight, he declared, in devoting all his work to the glory of God and the exaltation of the name of Jesus.".
His lectures (1881) on Calderón
established his reputation as a literary critic; and his work as an historian of Spanish literature
was continued in his Historia de las ideas estéticas en España (1881–1891), his edition (1890–1903) of Lope de Vega, his Antología de poetas líricos castellanos (1890–1906), and his Origenes de la novela (1905). Although some of his judgments, mainly those related to the defense of the Spanish tradition, are no longer accepted, his studies of Spanish literature (medieval, Renaissance, and Golden Age) are still valuable.
He was professor of Spanish literature at the University of Madrid (1878–98) and director of the Biblioteca Nacional de España
(1898–1912).
He is buried in Santander Cathedral
, where his monument may still be seen.
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...
. Even though his main interest was the History of ideas
History of ideas
The history of ideas is a field of research in history that deals with the expression, preservation, and change of human ideas over time. The history of ideas is a sister-discipline to, or a particular approach within, intellectual history...
, and Hispanic philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
in general, he also cultivated poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and 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...
.
He was born at Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
where he showed that he was an infant prodigy. Only 15 years old, he studied under Manuel Milà i Fontanals
Manuel Milà i Fontanals
Manuel Milà i Fontanals was a Catalan scholar. He was born at Vilafranca del Penedès, near Barcelona, and was educated first in Barcelona, and afterwards at the University of Cervera....
at the University of Barcelona
University of Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is a public university located in the city of Barcelona, Catalonia in Spain. It is a member of the Coimbra Group, LERU, European University Association, Mediterranean Universities Union, International Research Universities Network and Vives Network...
(1871–1872), then proceeded to the central University of Madrid
University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid is a public university in Madrid, Spain, and one of the oldest universities in the world.The University of Madrid may also refer to:* The Autonomous University of Madrid, a public university founded in 1968...
. His academic success was unprecedented; a special law was passed by the Cortes to enable him to become a professor at the age of twenty-two. Three years later he was elected a member of the Real Academia Española
Real Academia Española
The Royal Spanish Academy is the official royal institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, but is affiliated with national language academies in twenty-one other hispanophone nations through the Association of Spanish Language Academies...
; but by this time he was well known throughout Spain.
His first volume, Estudios críticos sobre escritores montañeses (1876), had attracted little notice, and his scholarly Horacio en Español (1877) appealed only to students. He became famous, through his Ciencia española (1878), a collection of polemical essays defending the national tradition against the attacks of political and religious reformers. The unbending orthodoxy of this work is even more noticeable in the Historia de los heterodoxos españoles (1880–1886), and the writer was hailed as the champion of the ultramontane
Ultramontanism
Ultramontanism is a religious philosophy within the Roman Catholic community that places strong emphasis on the prerogatives and powers of the Pope...
party. As the Catholic Encyclopedia (1908–10) described his work "Every page of his writings reveals a wealth of strong common sense, clear perception, and a vein of wonderful and ever varying erudition. Thoroughly Catholic in spirit, he found his greatest delight, he declared, in devoting all his work to the glory of God and the exaltation of the name of Jesus.".
His lectures (1881) on Calderón
Pedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Barreda González de Henao Ruiz de Blasco y Riaño usually referred as Pedro Calderón de la Barca , was a dramatist, poet and writer of the Spanish Golden Age. During certain periods of his life he was also a soldier and a Roman Catholic priest...
established his reputation as a literary critic; and his work as an historian of Spanish literature
Spanish literature
Spanish literature generally refers to literature written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the state of Spain...
was continued in his Historia de las ideas estéticas en España (1881–1891), his edition (1890–1903) of Lope de Vega, his Antología de poetas líricos castellanos (1890–1906), and his Origenes de la novela (1905). Although some of his judgments, mainly those related to the defense of the Spanish tradition, are no longer accepted, his studies of Spanish literature (medieval, Renaissance, and Golden Age) are still valuable.
He was professor of Spanish literature at the University of Madrid (1878–98) and director of the Biblioteca Nacional de España
Biblioteca Nacional de España
The Biblioteca Nacional de España is a major public library, the largest in Spain.It is located in Madrid, on the Paseo de Recoletos.-History:...
(1898–1912).
He is buried in Santander Cathedral
Santander Cathedral
Santander Cathedral is located in the Spanish city of Santander. Its structure is mainly Gothic, although it has been extended and renovated in later times.- History :...
, where his monument may still be seen.
Works
- La novela entre los Latinos (Santander, 1875). (His doctoral thesis)
- Estudios críticos sobre escritores montañeses. I. Trueba y Cosío (Santander, 1876).
- Polémicas, indicaciones y proyectos sobre la ciencia española (Madrid, 1876).
- La ciencia española, 2ª edition (Madrid, 1887–1880).
- Horacio en España (Madrid, 1877, 2ª ed. 1885).
- Estudios poéticos (Madrid, 1878).
- Odas, epístolas y tragedias (Madrid, 1906).
- Traductores españoles de la Eneida (Madrid, 1879).
- Traductores de las Églogas y Geórgicas de Virgilio (Madrid, 1879).
- Historia de los heterodoxos españoles (Madrid, 1880–1882).
- Calderón y su teatro (Madrid, 1881).
- Dramas de Guillermo Shakespeare translation (Barcelona, 1881).
- Obras completas de Marco Tulio Cicerón, translation (Madrid, 1881–1884).
- Historia de las isdeas estéticas en España (Madrid, 1883–1889).
- Estudios de crítica literaria (Madrid, 1884).
- Obras de Lope de Vega, 1890–1902.
- Antología de poetas líricos castellanos desde la formación del idioma hasta nuestros días, 1890–1908.
- Ensayos de crítica filosófica (Madrid, 1892).
- Antología de poetas hispano-americanos, 1893–1895.
- Historia de la poesía hispano-americana (Madrid, 1911).
- Bibliografía hispano-latina clásica (Madrid, 1902).
- Orígenes de la novela (Madrid, 1905–1915).
- El doctor D. Manuel Milá y Fontanals. Semblanza literaria (Barcelona, 1908).
- Obras Completas, started in 1911.
- "Biblioteca de traductores españoles", in Obras Completas, Madrid