FEDERICO GAMBOA: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, COMPLETE WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Federico Gamboa Iglesias (1864-1939) was a Mexican writer, playwright, and diplomat. The author's work was framed within naturalism, that is, it was oriented to the exposure of reality, from the neutral. He was one of the best representatives of this literary style in his country.

Gamboa's work was characterized by having a cultured, precise and at the same time severe language. Her writings spanned various genres, such as narrative, essay, and theater. On the other hand, she dedicated herself to writing some memoirs, and an autobiography.

Federico Gamboa, portrait of an unknown author. Source: http://www.sre.gob.mx/acerca/images/fgamboai.jpg, via Wikimedia Commons

Some of the most outstanding titles of the Mexican writer were: Santa, The last campaign and Between brothers. It is necessary to note that Federico Gamboa's life also passed between diplomacy and politics, through the exercise of various positions both inside and outside of Mexico.

Biography

Birth and childhood years

Federico Gamboa was born on December 22, 1864 in Mexico City, into a cultured family. Information about his family and personal life is scarce, however, it is known that he lived his first years in his native country, and that, in 1880, he moved to New York with his father for a time.

Gamboa Education

Information on Gamboa's years of education is also not accurate. However, it is known that part of his initial training took place in Mexico. After finishing high school, he began to study at the National School of Jurisprudence, to become a notary public.

At that time, Federico suffered the loss of his father, and the emotional illness was compounded by financial difficulties. So, in 1884, he dropped his studies and began working to support himself, as a clerk in a civil court.

Contact with letters

During the time that he began working in court, Federico Gamboa also began contact with letters through journalism. Between 1884 and 1888 he wrote the column From my table, in the printed medium El Diario del Hogar. However, this literary space did not sign it with his name, but under the alias La corcadiere.

Gamboa in the Mexican Foreign Service

Despite the financial difficulties that arose, Gamboa was a determined man in the fulfillment of his goals. In 1888 he enrolled in the Mexican Foreign Service (SEM), with the aim of starting a diplomatic career; the following year he published Del natural. Contemporary sketches.

His first job within the SEM was as secretary. However, in that position he did not last long, because he was promptly sent as a representative to Guatemala, when he was barely 24 years old. From there he went on to carry out diplomatic work in Argentina.

Between diplomacy and literature

Federico Gamboa alternated his diplomatic with literary work. After having been in Argentina, he returned to Mexico. At that time he wrote The Last Campaign and Supreme Law. As early as 1896, back at the SEM headquarters, he served as director of the consulate for foreign affairs.

Later, from 1899 to 1902, he was sent to Guatemala as a business delegate. When the period of the previous mission ended, he went to the United States as secretary of the Mexican commission. It was on that date, 1903, when he published his most famous work: Santa.

Gamboa and his alignment with Porfirio Díaz

Federico Gamboa's diplomatic career developed practically in the third term of President Porfirio Díaz's government, between 1884 and 1911. In 1910 he served as minister in Guatemala. Then he went to Mexico, where he was in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.

Porfirio Díaz, President of Mexico. Source: The Agora, via Wikimedia Commons

Soon after, he was appointed ambassador to Belgium, and then to Holland. At that time, after the centenary of Mexico's Independence had been celebrated, he was also sent to Spain to answer for the commission that attended the festival.

Gamboa as presidential candidate

Porfirio Díaz stopped ruling in 1911, and it was precisely Gamboa who received him in Europe. Two years later the writer left diplomatic missions aside to opt for the presidency of the Republic of Mexico, under the representation of the National Catholic Party.

Federico Gamboa was not victorious, but Victoriano Huerta prevailed. After that, his diplomatic career declined, because during Venustiano Carranza's government he had to leave Mexico for political reasons. At that time he had already married María Sagaseta and they both had a son.

Last years and death

Gamboa returned to Mexico in 1919, after having lived away from his country for four years. Once installed, he dedicated himself to writing and receiving some awards and recognitions. He also served as a journalist for newspapers and newspapers.

From his last years of life were his works: The Evangelist, Between Brothers and My Diary, Second Series II, 1909-1911. Over time his health deteriorated, and he died on August 15, 1939, in Mexico City, at the age of seventy-four.

Awards and honours

- Foreign member of the Royal Spanish Academy, as of November 14, 1884.

- Member of the Mexican Academy of the Language, since March 22, 1909.

- Director of the Mexican Academy of Language, from 1923 to 1939.

- Honorary Individual from the Colombian Academy of Language in 1935.

Style

Federico Gamboa's literary style was characterized by belonging to or developing within naturalism, which meant that his writings were realistic, neutral and objective. In addition, he used precise, studied, elegant, and sometimes rigid and unforgiving language.

Autobiography published in 1893. Source: Federico Gamboa, via Wikimedia Commons

As for the themes developed by the Mexican writer, these were related to pleasure, pain, love and suffering. Finally, Gamboa was an author concerned with showing interest in settings and details; in addition, there were emotions and a special magic in his work

Complete works

Narrative

- Writer and translator in La Reforma Social (1915-1917). Cuban magazine.

- Writer for the newspaper El Universal (1926-1939).

References

1. Federico Gamboa. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Federico Gamboa. (S. f.). Cuba: Ecu Red. Recovered from: ecured.cu.
3. Tamaro, E. (2004-2019). Federico Gamboa. (N / a): Biographies and Lives. Recovered from: biografiasyvidaas.com.
4. Ramírez, M., Moreno, E. and others. (2019). Federico Gamboa. (N / a): Search Biographies. Recovered from: Buscabiografias.com.
5. Federico Gamboa. (S. f). Mexico: Mexican Academy of the Language. Recovered from: academia.org.mx.