FERNANDO DEL PASO: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS AND PHRASES - LITERATURE - 2025

Fernando del Paso Morante (1935-2018) was a Mexican writer, painter, academic, and diplomat. For his literary work, he has been considered one of the most important and influential Latin American authors of the 20th century. His life passed between letters, academic training and diplomatic trips.

The work of del Paso was broad, and encompassed various genres of literature, highlighted: novel, poetry, short story and essay. It was characterized by the use of expressive language and a reflective theme, often based on the history and culture of his country.

Fernando del Paso. Public domain. Taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Throughout his writing career, Fernando del Paso received various awards and recognitions. Some of his best-known titles were: José Trigo, Palinuro de México, Noticias del empio and Sonetos de lo diario. As a painter, the intellectual also held several exhibitions in some countries.

Biography

Birth and family

Fernando was born in Mexico City on April 1, 1935. The painter came from a cultured and economically sound family. There is little information about his parents and relatives, however, it is known that they took pains to give him quality of life and a good education. He lived in the well-known Colonia Roma.

Writer's studies

The first years of education of Fernando del Paso were attended in his hometown, also from an early age he showed talent and a taste for literature and drawing. After having studied high school at the Colegio de San Ildefonso, he entered the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Facade of the old Colegio de San Idelfonso, currently the Museum of Light. Source: Museum of Light - UNAM, via Wikimedia Commons

He first began studying medicine, but soon realized that he had no vocation for it. So he went on to study economics, and he studied it for a period of two years. Later, in the same UNAM, it was prepared in literature.

First jobs as a writer

In the mid-fifties, Fernando del Paso began in the literary area through the development of texts for advertising offices, he also experimented in voice over and journalism. It was during this time that the author devoted himself to Sonnets of the Daily, his first poetry project.

Criticism of

In 1958 the Mexican writer published his work Soneto de lo diario, which allowed him to gain public recognition. Six years later, and for a year, the Centro Mexicano de Escritores awarded him a scholarship. Fernando del Paso was determined to pursue a career in literature.

In 1965 he published José Trigo, a novel that generated conflicting opinions, due to its content, depth and complexity of language. Although it had the recognition of writers such as Juan José Arreola and Juan Rulfo, the critics did not give in so easily to an entirely favorable opinion.

Life in America and England

At the end of the sixties he went to live in the United States, specifically in Iowa, after receiving a scholarship from the Ford Foundation to study in the International Writers Program. By that time, Fernando had already married Socorro Gordillo, with whom he had four children.

In 1971 the writer settled in London, England, to expand literary knowledge under the auspices of the Guggenheim Fellowship. On English soil he worked at the BBC on various radio projects, and he also took the opportunity to realize the idea of ​​his work Palinuro de México.

Diplomatic activity

Fernando del Paso spent several years living outside of his country, however each activity he carried out was known in Mexico. In such a way that national recognition always accompanied him, so in 1985 he was appointed cultural representative of the Mexican embassy in Paris.

His diplomatic work lasted until 1988, in the same way, he remained active as a writer, also served as a producer on Radio International de France. At that time, his work Palinuro de México was translated into French, and won some awards.

Del Paso and his

Fernando del Paso was a writer interested in the history of Mexico, so his works were always oriented to this topic. In such a way that one of his most acclaimed works was Noticias del Imperio, which he published in 1987 and was related to the time of the Second Mexican Empire, between 1864 and 1867.

I return to Mexico

After having lived for almost twenty years outside his country, Fernando del Paso returned to Mexico, after having completed his last work as a diplomat in distant lands until 1992. Once he settled, he worked as director of the Octavio Paz Ibero-American Library, at the University of Guadalajara.

The writer's creativity led him to develop the suspense novel, so around that time he wrote Linda 67, which came out in the mid-1990s. Subsequently, between 1997 and 2015, he published several titles, including: Dispersed Tales, Journey Around Don Quixote and I Love and Lord of My Words.

Last years and death

Fernando del Paso lived the last years between the development of his literary projects and the receipt of various awards and recognitions. The author began to suffer from strokes in 2013. Although he recovered from some, he died on November 14, 2018 in Guadalajara, he was 83 years old.

Style

The literary style of Fernando del Paso was characterized by the use of a precise and deep language, which was often loaded with linguistics that were difficult to understand. However, there was in his writings ingenuity, creativity and a wide intellectual load, product of his remarkable academic preparation.

In the works of the Mexican writer, it was common to observe themes related to the history of his country, mixed with mythology, culture, reflections and a load of humor. Also, his characters were a combination of reality and fantasy, whose experiences taught the reader.

Complete works

Poetry

Other publications

- Thirteen mixed techniques (1996).

Awards and honours

- Xavier Villaurrutia Award in 1966 for his work José Trigo.

- Mexico Novel Prize in 1975.

- Rómulo Gallegos Award in 1982 for Palinuro de México.

- Mazatlán Prize for Literature in 1988 for Noticias del Imperio.

- National Prize of Sciences and Arts in 1991.

- Member of the National College in 1996.

- Member of the Mexican Academy of Language in 2006.

- FIL Prize for Literature in 2007.

- Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Guadalajara in 2013.

- Alfonso Reyes International Award in 2014.

- Cervantes Award in 2015.

- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Medal in 2018.

Phrases

- "Work, science and the arts are sweeter than the sparkles of a crown (…)".

- "If the only thing I said in it was the truth: that with the decree on freedom of worship, the Mexican church has been lowered to the status of slave of public law (…)".

- "Poetry must assault all artistic manifestations that claim to be memorable."

- “With your tongue and with your eyes, you and I together are going to reinvent history. What they don't want, what no one wants, is to see you alive again, is for us to be young again, while they and everyone have been buried for so long ”.

- "In justice empires are founded."

- "It is about defending the Latin traditions and culture and ultimately the European traditions and culture that also belong to millions of Indians of that continent."

- “Ay Maximiliano, if you could come to Querétaro, you would see that of that your blood, the one you wanted to be the last to be spilled in your new homeland, there was no trace left (…) it was carried away by the wind, history swept it, Mexico forgot it ”.

- "The coffee should be hot as love, sweet as sin and black as hell."

References

1. Tamaro, E. (2019). Fernando del Paso. (N / a): Biographies and Lives. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com.
2. Fernando del Paso. Biography. (2018). Spain: Instituto Cervantes. Recovered from: cervantes.es.
3. Fernando del Paso. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
4. Fernando del Paso. (2015). (N / a): Writers Org. Recovered from: writers.org.
5. Romero, S. (S. f.). 6 famous phrases of Fernando del Paso. Spain: Very Interesting. Recovered from: muyinteresante.com.