JOSÉ ASUNCIÓN SILVA: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS, PHRASES - BIOGRAPHIES - 2025

José Asunción Silva (1865-1896) was a Colombian writer and poet whose work is considered one of the most outstanding of the 19th century. The literary creation of this author was framed within the modernist current.

It is not surprising that the author stood out in the world of letters, since Silva's childhood was marked by the constant literary atmosphere that existed in his home. While the writer was a quick learner, the shadow of depression and family poverty was always present and led him to commit suicide.

Portrait of José Asunción Silva. Source: Unknown, via Wikimedia Commons

As for his literary work, his poems were characterized by the use of a cultured and expressive language. The verses of José Asunción in his last stage fit into romanticism. In the scarce production of the author nostalgia and reflection stand out. Some of his most notorious titles were: The Book of Verses and Intimacies.

Biography

Birth and family

José Asunción Salustiano Facundo Silva Gómez was born on November 27, 1865 in Bogotá, Colombia. The author came from a cultured family with a good socioeconomic status. His parents were the writer and merchant Ricardo Silva Frade and Vicenta Gómez Diago. Silva had five siblings: Guillermo, Elvira, Alfonso, Inés and Julia.

Studies

José Asunción Silva was a precocious child, he learned to read and write when he was three years old. He entered the Liceo de la Infancia in 1869, but not to the degree that corresponded to him due to his age, but he was advanced by two years due to his knowledge.

After that he studied at the Colegio San José, from 1871 to 1876. At that time he wrote his first verses.

After that, Silva returned to the Liceo de la Infancia in 1877 and continued to demonstrate his talents as an exceptional student. José Asunción suffered the loss of his brothers Guillermo and Alfonso during his years of educational training. Some time later, the writer left his studies due to the family's financial situation.

First tasks

Silva could not finish his studies for financial reasons, so he began working in his father's business in 1878. That same year his sister Inés passed away. Around that time, the poet alternated working hours with the writing of his verses. The new author began his first poetry collection in 1880 with "Las ondinas".

The Silva economy took a breather in 1881 and that led José Asunción's father to buy the Chantilly farm in Chapinero. There, the writer had several moments of poetic inspiration. Later, the poet published several of his verses and prose on the pages of the Papel Periódico Ilustrado in 1882.

Between translations and publications

José Asunción Silva had a vast knowledge of French literature at a young age and had command of the language. So he began translating the works of various writers in 1883, most notably Victor Hugo and Pierre de Béranger. Some of his translations were published in the Papel Periódico Ilustrado.

Later, Silva brought to light "You will find poetry" in the publication El Liberal in 1884, which was considered his first official work as a poet. On that same date he finished writing a compendium of poetry developed between 1880 and 1884 and which he titled Intimidades.

Trip to Europe

The writer achieved financial independence in 1884, when his father gave him shares in his company. Silva then traveled to Paris to complete his academic training, but his objective was cut short after the death of his uncle Antonio María Silva Fortoul, who would receive him. So he went into business at the request of his father.

Facade of the Silva Poetry House in the La Candelaria neighborhood of Bogotá. Source: Msorel, via Wikimedia Commons

José Asunción took advantage of the time to get to know Switzerland, Holland, London, Italy and Belgium and soaked up the literary currents of the time. During this period he met intellectuals such as: Paul Bourget, Stephane Mallarmé and James Whistler, all of them influenced his later literary work.

Returns to Colombia

Silva returned to his country in 1886 after two years in Europe. On that date, the family business reached its most critical point. However, the poet quickly joined the cultural and literary activity. José Asunción published several verses in La Siesta de Bogotá and in El Telegrama.

Later, the writer took part in the Fine Arts painting exhibition with "A Duel", a reproduction of the London artist Samuel Edmond. Later, “Las crisálidas” was published in the anthology Parnaso Colombiano. At that time the author suffered the losses of his teacher Ricardo Carrasquilla and his friend Joaquín González

Silva and business

The intellectual remained constant in the development of his poetry. Silva began working as a contributor to La Miscelnea, a publication that circulated in the city of Medellín. The author also unveiled his "Modern Workshop" in honor of his friend Alberto Urdaneta.

He lost his father in 1887 and had to take care of what little was left of the family's business. So he decided to make some changes in investing in coffee marketing. The author tried to attract customers through advertising based on poems.

Literary and economic boom

Silva grew up on a literary and economic level in the late eighties of the nineteenth century. At that time, the writer published the essay "Light criticism" in the pages of El Telegrama del Domingo and continued to publish interviews and articles in La Miscelneane.

On the other hand, the intellectual achieved some economic stability with the expansion of his warehouses. He took it upon himself to give Colombians aesthetic knowledge through the European style of his stores and frequently brought innovative products created in the Old World to his country.

Literary gatherings

Silva's fame as a writer and poet was constantly growing. The intellectual began to develop literary gatherings at his home in 1889, which were attended by personalities such as Emilio Cuervo and Sanín Cano. On that date the writer began to write Bitter Drops and published the poem “Ronda”.

At that time, José Asunción became a member of the board of the Sociedad Filantrópica de Socorros Mutuos in the Colombian capital. The speech he gave when he joined the organization was of a political nature and caused discomfort among the elites of society.

Elvira's passing

Silva's economic situation collapsed in 1890 after the crises that his country experienced due to frequent social and political conflicts. This is how the writer went through one of the most difficult stages of his life. Added to this was the death of his sister and friend Elvira in 1891.

The loss of Elvira plunged José Asunción into a severe depression. He took refuge in writing and published a literary material in honor of his sister in El Telegrama. It was at this time that the author began to produce one of his best-known works The Book of Verses.

Withdrawal from business

José Asunción's financial failure forced him to sell several of his properties, including the Chantilly farm. Writing was his consolation. In that period he wrote "One Night" which reflected his state of mind and the loss of all his material efforts.

To all his existential shock was added the death of his grandmother María Frade in 1892. Silva definitively retired from business in 1893 and devoted himself entirely to journalism and literature.

Grave of José Asunción Silva and his sister Elvira Silva in the Central Cemetery of Bogotá. Source: Baiji, via Wikimedia Commons

In that same year, the writer undertook the project of writing historical novels about life in the Colombian capital. Besides that, Silva dedicated himself to making several translations.

Diplomat silva

José Asunción Silva served as a diplomat in 1894, after being appointed a member of his country's delegation in Caracas, Venezuela. He was received in a good way for his literary fame. Along with his work as ambassador, he participated in various print media of the time, such as Cosmopolis and El Cojo Ilustrado.

The author kept writing for several Colombian newspapers and published the poems "Symphony color of strawberry with milk" and "Acuarelas". Silva's diplomatic work lasted until 1895, this due to disagreements with some authorities. After the end of activities, he decided to return to his hometown.

Tribute to Bolívar

The return trip to Colombia was not pleasant, the ship was wrecked off the coast of Barranquilla and the author lost several of his writings. Silva managed to recover and published the text "Twilight" in the newspaper El Heraldo.

In 1895 the poet wrote "At the foot of the statue" in honor of the Liberator Simón Bolívar and at the request of the then Venezuelan consul in Bogotá. The poem was not well received within political circles for its "Bolivarian" content.

Last year and death

In the last year of his life, the writer tried to return to business with the establishment of a mosaic company, but to no avail. So he continued with the writing of poems and completed the works De sobremesa and The Book of Verses.

The day before his death, José Asunción attended a dinner that his mother offered to the families of Bogota's high satiety. There he recited the poem "Don Juan de Covadonga". Silva was found shot to death at his residence on May 24, 1896, with investigations concluding that it was a suicide.

Style

José Asunción Silva's literary style was framed within modernism, although his first poems had post-romantic characteristics. The writer used a cultured, precise and expressive language. His opening poems stood out for their mysterious and dark content.

José Asunción Silva at 4 years old. Source: Demetrio Paredes, via Wikimedia Commons

The general theme of Silva's verses was related to childhood, nostalgia, loneliness, the end of existence, love, hopelessness, heartbreak and history. Many of this Colombian writer's poems were reflective and reflected his moods. As for his prose, this was satirical, moral and social.

Metric and rhythm

The poetry of José Asunción Silva stood out for the constant creativity and innovation that the writer impressed on it. The author was in charge of transforming the traditional meter of the verses to give them intonation and sound. His main intention was to strip poems of static and rigidity.

Plays

Fragment of "Twilight"

"Next to the crib is not yet lit

The warm lamp, which rejoices and rests,

And filters opaque, through the curtains

Of the sad afternoon the bluish light…

Tired children suspend their games,

Strange noises come from the street,

In these moments, in all the rooms,

the sleeping goblins are waking up.

Poor Rin Rin Tadpole floats in it,

the sad Tooth Fairy runs and flees,

And it is darkened by the form of the tragic

Blue Beard, who kills his seven women.

In enormous and unknown distances,

That raises through the dark corners,

Puss in Boots walk through the meadows,

And the Wolf that marches with Little Red Riding Hood.

And, agile gentleman, crossing the jungle,

Do vibrates the funeral bark of a gozque,

The blond prince goes

to see the Beautiful Sleeper of the Forest… ".

Awards and honours

The importance of Silva in Spanish literature and the quality of his poetry made him a man worthy of being remembered and honored. This is how the Bank of the Republic of Colombia designed the five thousand peso bill with its image on the front and on the back the poem "Melancolía" since 2016.

One of the most relevant recognitions to the writer was the creation of the Silva Poetry House, which was founded on May 23, 1986 to commemorate the ninety years of the author's death.

This institution was the first of its kind in Colombia and its objective is to research and share poetry in Spanish from all eras.

Phrases

- "There is too much shadow in your visions."

- "I'm nostalgic for our Sunday afternoons…".

- "There is nothing new in the chronicle of the city that draws attention…".

- “Oh! Everything will pass: smiling childhood, smiling youth, manhood that dreams in the future… ”.

- “I live an unlikely life. I don't see anyone: I work all day and half the night… ”.

- "… In the face of solemn penalties and eternal separations, all the words are unnecessary…".

- "I have to write at home taking advantage of the nights, because the days are completely busy."

- "The black and mystical forest was the dark bedroom."

- "A wandering firefly lit up our kiss."

- "I do not have to communicate any news regarding business except the increase in difficulties…".

References

1. José Asunción Silva. (2017). Colombia: Banrepcutural. Recovered from: encyclopedia.banrepcultural.org.
2. José Asunción Silva. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
3. Tamaro, E. (2019). José Asunción Silva. (N / a): Biographies and Lives. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com.
4. Mataix, R. (S. f.). José Asunción Silva. The author: Chronology. Spain: Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library. Recovered from: cervantesvirtual.com.
5. José Asunción Silva. (S. f.). Cuba: EcuRed. Recovered from: ecured.cu.