GREGORIO MARAÑÓN: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, QUOTES AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Gregorio Marañón y Posadillo (1887-1960) was an endocrinologist who also stood out as a scientist, writer, thinker and historian. He was part of the well-known Generation of 1914, which sought to give Spain a new practical concept of country. His studies and works crossed the Spanish borders.

Marañón stood out in all the areas to which he dedicated himself. In the field of science he was a forerunner in endocrinological studies, in addition to psychosomatic medicine, and at the same time he was an advance in terms of the composition of families, and individual roles in society.

Gregorio Marañón. Source: See page for author, via Wikimedia Commons

In relation to his facet as a writer and thinker, his work developed with importance in the fields of historiography, essays and biographies. His style was aligned with scientific knowledge, and he had the ability to expose quality topics through deep research.

Biography

Birth and family

Gregorio Marañón was born on May 19, 1887 in Madrid. It is known that he came from a wealthy family. His father was the outstanding lawyer Manuel Marañón y Gómez-Acebo, and his mother was Carmen Posadillo Bernacci, who sadly passed away when Gregorio was only three years old.

Marañón's childhood was marked and influenced by the cultural and social environment where his father developed. She received a very good education, and from an early age showed a taste for medicine, as well as a pleasure for literature.

University studies

Marañón entered to study medicine at the Central University of Madrid, in 1902, when he was fifteen years old. Then, seven years later, he obtained a medical degree, and by 1912 he had achieved a doctorate. He did his postgraduate studies in Germany.

During his training in Germany, in 1908, he became a disciple of the winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, Paul Ehrlich, with whom he learned about infectology and immunology, and also carried out various investigations on chemotherapy.

When he returned to his country he was a doctor with extensive knowledge in endocrinology, so he began to work at the General Hospital of Madrid. He shared his ideas in this field of medicine to the interested public, through courses he gave at the athenaeum.

marriage and family

One year before obtaining his doctorate, Gregorio Marañón married Dolores Moya and Gastón. She became his main support and life companion. From the marriage four children were born: María del Carmen, María de Belén, María Isabel and Gregorio, the latter, years later, became the Marques de Marañón.

Marañón the politician

Politics was an area that also interested Gregorio Marañón, becoming a specialist in writing historical essays. He openly spoke out against the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, which was worth a month in prison, and he was also critically opposed to communism.

Cashew in his library. Source: See page for author, via Wikimedia Commons

When the Second Republic was born in 1931, a period of democracy that replaced Alfonso XIII, Marañón showed his sympathy. Together with intellectuals of the time, he formed the Agrupación al Servicio de la República movement. Some time later he considered that the new government did not do the right thing.

The scientist was concerned about the health of the Spaniards, he considered that changes should be made. In 1922, as a doctor to King Alfonso XIII, he traveled to Extremadura, specifically Las Hurdes, where disease and poverty were consuming the population.

From that "historical journey", as was considered by many, the monarch gave orders for the situation to change, and the quality of life to reign. Later, Marañón became part of the academies of medicine, history and literature. He also served as a deputy.

Cashew in the field of medicine

In the field of medicine and science, Gregorio Marañón devoted most of his work to studies on endocrinology. Besides that he was interested in rejuvenation, hormones and glands, the latter in relation to the field of sexology.

He was influenced by the investigations of the Hungarian pathologist Arthur Biedl on the secretion of the glands. Based on this he wrote two of his famous works: The doctrine of internal secretions (1915) and, two years later, The critical age. He also specialized in the thyroid.

The doctor published countless articles on science in different scientific journals. Marañón participated, along with another colleague, in the preparation of the first Internal Medicine Treaty in Spain. In addition, it achieved world fame with its Manual of etiological diagnosis, due to its novelty in its content.

In the field of sexology, he manifested the profound differences that existed between the female and the male sex, without actually placing one at a higher level. Even when she was in contact with Sigmund Freud, she considered that the glands and the chemical aspects were related to sexuality.

Marañón managed medicine from humanity, ethics and morals. Just as he was the doctor of the monarchy, so was he of the poor. He had a deep feeling for those most in need. His legacy was relegated to every corner of Spain, and the world still experiences his work.

Exile and return to Spain

Like many intellectuals, scientists and politicians, Gregorio Marañón had to leave his country when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, for fear of reprisals. He went to Paris and lived there until his return to Spain in 1942.

His stay in France was productive; As a well-known and reputable physician, the government licensed him to practice both publicly and privately. He traveled around America giving lectures, became interested in migration and carried out some studies on the subject.

He made the decision to return to his country when Germany invaded Paris, it was the time of the dictator Francisco Franco. The dictatorship respected his life, all his belongings were returned to him, and most importantly: he was able to rejoin his passion, medicine.

It was at that time when, without any fear, he expressed his position in favor of freedom, which should be a behavior that allowed him to understand and accept contrary opinions. He also dared to reveal the political crisis in Spain and demanded the return of his countrymen in exile.

Death of Gregorio Marañón

Gregorio Marañón remained active until the end of his days, he died on March 27, 1960 in Madrid, he was 72 years old. The news moved the Spanish people, to the point that his farewell was massive and historic. His human and professional quality was unmatched.

Today his work and his memory continue to be honored. The old Provincial Hospital of Madrid today bears his name. In his honor, since 1990, and annually, the Marañón Week is celebrated, in different locations in Spain, and specific topics of medicine are developed.

On November 11, 1988, the Gregorio Marañón Foundation was born with the aim of spreading the life and work of the scientist, and in the same way deepening his thinking. In addition to encouraging progress in the area he occupied and in bioethics.

Style

Marañón's style to develop his work was, in the first place, merely scientific, linked to the moral and ethical theme. He had a natural talent for writing, which resulted in unmatched qualities of clarity, precision, and expressiveness.

Bust of Marañón in Jódar. Source: Feranza, from Wikimedia Commons

Marañón knew how to write from scientific topics to cooking and travel. In addition, with total lucidity and ingenuity, he developed what was known as a biological test, where he explained the psychological, physical and pathological characteristics of great personalities.

Featured quotes

Gregorio Marañón also stood out for being a thinker about the analyzes and positions he had on political, social, scientific, medical, human and other issues of interest. Like his personality, these quotes ran deep and left their mark.

Here are 10 of them:

- "The man who does not doubt is a danger to others."

- "Work without haste is the best rest for the body."

- “If being a doctor means giving your life to your chosen mission; If being a doctor means never getting tired of studying and having the humility to learn a new lesson every day; If being a doctor means making ambition nobility, interest, generosity; of time out of season; and of science service to man-the son of God-; if being a doctor is love, infinite love, to our fellow man…; So being a doctor is the divine illusion that pain is enjoyment; sickness be health and death life ”.

- “Living is not only existing, but existing and creating, knowing how to enjoy and suffer and not sleep without dreaming. The capacity of enthusiasm is a sign of spiritual health".

- "Being liberal means being willing to agree with someone who thinks otherwise, and never admit that the end justifies the means."

- “To rest is to begin to die. Man has to be a slave to action if he wants to live ”.

- “You have more qualities than you think; But to know if the coins are made of good gold, you have to roll them, make them circulate. Spend your treasure ”.

- "Although the truth of the facts shines, men will always fight in the subtle trench of interpretations."

- “The crowd has been, at all times in history, drawn by gestures rather than ideas. The crowd never reasons ”.

- "Female passion is a dark jungle never fully explored, a jungle made at the same time of infinite disinterest, of jealous impetus for exclusive possession."

Plays

Gregorio Marañón's work is extensive. In addition to delving into medical and scientific topics, he developed biographical research based on characters from the story. In the same way, his critical ideals led him to capture much of his thoughts.

In the case of biographies, as a doctor, he explored the characters that were carted and analytically studied the forms of their character. On the other hand, Marañón was the author of very good essays. Each of his works are full of a particular explanatory acuity.

Writings on Medicine

Portrait of Marañón, made by Joaquín Sorolla. Source: Joaquín Sorolla

His writings in the area of ​​medicine covered topics of great interest, and, in some cases, never before developed in his country. His investigations were conducted towards the thyroid, the adrenal glands and the pituitary, sexuality. Here are some more relevant titles:

- Blood in thyroid states (1911).

- Anatomical investigations on the parathyroid apparatus of man (1911).

- The glands of internal secretion and the diseases of nutrition (1913).

- The doctrine of internal secretions. Its biological significance and its applications to the clinic (1915).

- Manual of internal medicine (1916).

- The critical age (1919).

- Current problems of the doctrine of internal secretions (1922).

- Fat and skinny (1926).

- Three essays on sexual life (1926).

- Prediabetic states (1927).

- Manual of thyroid diseases (1929).

- The serious accidents of Addison's disease (1929).

- The intersex states of the human species (1929).

- Love convenience and eugenics (1929).

- Endocrinology (1930).

- Studies of sexual pathophysiology (1931).

- Amiel, a study on shyness (1932).

- Eleven lessons on rheumatism (1933).

- The climacteric of women and men (1937).

- Endocrinology Studies (1938).

- Manual of endocrine diseases and metabolism (1939).

- Studies on pituitary pathophysiology (1940).

- Early diagnosis in endocrinology (1940).

- Food and diets (1942).

- Manual of etiological diagnosis (1946).

- Growth and its disorders (1953).

- Medicine and our time (1954).

- Physiopathology and endocrine clinics (1954).

Works on history

Regarding the writings of historical content of Marañón, the following were the most outstanding:

- Biological essay on Enrique IV of Castile and his time (1930).

- The biological ideas of Father Feijoo (1934).

- Spain and the history of America (1935).

- Voting and Ethics (1936).

- The Count-Duke of Olivares. The passion to command (1936).

- Tiberio, history of a resentment (1939).

- Old time and new time (1940).

- Don Juan. Essay on the origin of his legend (1940).

- Luis Vives. A Spaniard out of Spain (1942).

- Spaniards outside of Spain (1947).

- The processes of Castilla against Antonio Pérez (1947).

- Cajal. His time and ours (1950).

- The Marquis of Valdecilla (1951).

- El Greco and Toledo (1957).

- The three Velez a story of all time (1960).

Thoughts

Marañón left his thoughts immortalized both on medical and scientific issues, as well as on the area of ​​history. He was a man of clear ideas and critical discernment. Here are the most successful publications that the famous doctor had:

- Biology and feminism (1920).

- Sex, work and sport (1925).

- Root and decorum of Spain (1933).

- Vocation and ethics (1935).

- Psychology of the gesture (1937).

- Liberalism and Communism (1937).

- Chronicle and gesture of freedom (1938).

- Praise and nostalgia for Toledo (1941).

- Life and history (1941).

- Liberal essays (1946).

- Spaniards outside of Spain (1947).

- The soul of Spain (1951).

The thought of Gregorio Marañón was correct for the times in which he lived, today it is still valid.

Brief description of his most representative works

The critical age

In this work of medical content, the author demonstrated his interest in the aging process. In his case of investigation he concluded that the lack of sexual appetite was linked to old age, and that women were more affected. He was a pioneer in incorporating the study of health and social integration in old age.

Amiel. A study on shyness

This work by Marañón is considered an essay of a biological and psychological order. In this writing he narrated the story of Amiel, an extremely shy man, who was not able to make or maintain contact with the female sex, and at the age of forty he had not yet had intercourse.

The doctor, from the research and scientific point of view, carried out studies and analyzes on the psyche and the physiopathological characteristics of the individual. His ability to develop the subject originated a comparison with Freud's psychoanalysis, and even gave it a higher level.

The biological ideas of Father Feijoo

This work was an exhaustive analytical study that Marañón carried out on the ideas that the Spanish priest Benito Jerónimo Feijoo y Montenegro had, regarding biology, in the books he wrote. Also, he makes anecdotal reference to a microscope he obtained, and his thoughts on blood.

The Count-Duke of Olivares. The passion to command

Marañón wanted with this work on Gaspar de Guzmán, or the Count-Duke of Olivares attached to the reign of Felipe IV of Spain, to express the passion he had for the command, without wanting to dethrone the monarch. What the doctor did was to preserve or sponsor it, that is, to recognize the qualities it had.

Through the play, Gregorio put on display the qualities and defects of a man who also had his wishes outside the monarchy. He made a comparison with the French Cardinal-Duke of Richelieu, who did have a harsh and cruel personality.

Fragment

“But it is time now, for the honor of our history, to give this great protagonist of one of his most transcendent reigns his just category: that of the last genuine Spaniard of the imperial era; that of an excellent politician, but with anachronistic virtues, which for being so became… atrocious defects… an example of overwhelmed humanity, an archetype of the passion to rule, of imperative impetus… always magnificent ”.

Gesture psychology

This work by Marañón dealt with the meaning of the human gesture and all that it implies. The doctor asserted that gestures are the expression of emotions, and that they can occur from the face to the hands. According to the historical context of the writing, a gesture or sign dragged masses.

Fragment

“If with our thoughts we contemplate the entire humanity, we will see it divided into three sectors: that of the men who make the Roman salute, that of those who raise their arms with a closed fist; and that of those others who, not yet infected by the gesture or immune to contagion, contemplate those who gesticulate… ”.

Tiberius. History of a grudge

This work was Gregorio Marañón's medical analysis of Tiberius Julius Caesar, the Roman emperor. His story, perhaps mythologized or not, always let him see him as a cruel man; However, the doctor was able to find the cause: resentment.

The author scrutinized the childhood and life of Tiberius, who had to suffer the imposing and authoritarian character of his mother, Livia, he was also unfaithful to his father and he had to leave. No circumstance suited him, and his spirit was filled with rage. He wanted to free himself from the unbearable life he led.

The intention of the writer was to bring to light the reason for feeling of Tiberius, which allowed him to realize a theory of resentment that can turn into passion, revenge, hypocrisy, and leads the spirit towards revenge, paranoia and mediocrity.

Fragment

“… Everything, for him, reaches the value of an offense or the category of an injustice. What is more: the resentful person comes to experience the vicious need for these motives that feed his passion; a sort of masochistic thirst makes them invent them or look for them if they can't find them ”.

Old time and new time

It was a series of essays compiled in a single work. The themes developed by the author were related to the analytical and critical biographies that he wrote of historical figures, and of which he made psychological and biological analyzes.

Some of the titles included were: The panic of instinct, Rhapsody of the emeralds, Spain and Juan de Dios Huarte, among others. Many of the topics, the doctor had developed in lectures he gave in various cities in Argentina, it was also to his friends in this country that he dedicated it.

El Greco and Toledo

With this essay, Marañón brought readers closer to what was the life and pictorial work of El Greco, and at the same time moved them to the city of Toledo during the 16th and 16th centuries. It was the passion of the doctor expressed towards this character from the historical, sentimental and geographical point of view.

References

1. Domínguez, S. (2007). Tiberius or resentment. Spain: Reading meetings. Recovered from: encountersconlasletras.blogspot.com.
2. Gregorio Marañón. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: wikipedia.org.
3. Villanueva, M. (2019). Dr. Gregorio Marañón (1887-1960): Physician, endocrinologist, humanist and liberal. Puerto Rico: Galenus. Recovered from: galenusrevista.com.
4. Gregorio Marañón and Posadillo. (2019). Spain: Royal Spanish Academy. Recovered from: rae.es,
5. Aguilar, J. (2018). The salvific intention of Marañón: the Count-Duke of Olivares. (N / a): The flight of the owl. Recovered from: elvuelodelalechuza.com.