JOSÉ ZORRILLA: BIOGRAPHY AND WORKS - GEOGRAFÍA - 2025

José Zorrilla y Moral (1817-1893) was a Spanish playwright and poet. In his literary work he focused on developing the three genres of poetry, such as epic, lyrical and dramatic. Although it is important to note that his works were lacking in substance and at the same time left aside the approach to ideological issues.

Unlike many representatives of Romanticism, Zorrilla did not have the teachings of great teachers. She learned from the Duke of Rivas and José de Espronceda, whom she admired and read. Hence perhaps her writing style and themes were not ready to evolve at her time.

José Zorrilla. Source: Not stated, via Wikimedia Commons

The experiences of this writer are, in some way, reflected in his works. One of them was the relationship with his father, who was cold in love towards his son.

Because of that abandonment of his father it is believed that Zorrilla, perhaps, tried to fill that void by leading an inappropriate love life. There are many aspects of Zorrilla's life that must be known to understand her work.

Biography

José Zorrilla was born in Spain, in the city of Valladolid, on February 21, 1817. He was the son of José Zorrilla Caballero, who served as rapporteur at the Royal Chancellery, and of Nicomedes Moral, whom his acquaintances considered a generous woman..

Childhood and youth

Zorrilla lived most of her childhood in her hometown. Later she moved with her parents to Burgos and Seville; they finally settled in Madrid. In that city his father worked as a police administrator, while the future poet, aged nine, entered the Seminary of the Nobles.

Once King Ferdinand VII died, Zorrilla's father was taken out of Madrid because of his absolutist nature, and he had to spend time in Lerma. After that, his son went to study law at the Royal University of Toledo, under the protection of a relative belonging to the church.

The writer did not bear fruit in college, he was always scattered and distracted. For this reason, his relative decided to send him to continue his studies in Valladolid. In vain were the father's punishments, because the close bond that Zorrilla had with literature, as well as with women, diverted him from the path of law.

Literature, love affairs and bohemian life

Drawing and reading authors such as Walter Scott, James Cooper, Victor Hugo, Alejandro Dumas –to name a few– and also love, became her favorite passions. It is not strange then why when his father sent him to work in the Lerma vineyards, the young bohemian fled on a mule to Madrid in 1836.

Once in Madrid, he was very hungry and deprived. However, that did not stop him from taking the first steps on the literary path. He posed as Italian and began working as a cartoonist for the Spanish magazine El Museo de las Familias. Similarly, he published some poems in El Artista.

Death of Larra and friendship with Espronceda

For a time he was persecuted by the police for revolutionary speeches. Around that time, in 1837, one of the most prominent representatives of Romanticism, Mariano José de Larra y Sánchez, died, to whom Zorrilla dedicated a few words that paved the way for friendship with José de Espronceda.

New jobs as a poet and first drama

He continued to strive to become a renowned poet and writer. The newspapers El Español and El Porvenir were sources of work. In 1839 the premiere of his first drama was held, called: Juan Giving it, which debuted at the Teatro del Príncipe.

José Zorrilla House Museum. Source: Rastrojo (D • ES), from Wikimedia Commons

The following years were the time of many publications. Songs of the Troubadour, Better to Arrive on Time and Everyone with His Reason are some of them. For five years, from 1840 to 1845, he was hired by the Spanish businessman and actor Juan Lombía to create plays at the Teatro de la Cruz. A score of works was the result.

Marriage with Florentina O'Reilly

As for his love affairs, he married an older widow of Irish origin, named Florentina O'Reilly. The woman already had a son; and with Zorrilla he had another who died. The union did not bear good fruit, they were not happy. The poet took the opportunity to have several lovers.

In 1845, after seven years of marriage, he decided to leave his wife, and went to Paris. There he made friends with some of the writers he had read, such as Victor Hugo, Dumas, Musset, among others. A year later he returned to Madrid to attend his mother's funeral.

His work gains momentum and recognition

While in Paris he sold some works to the Baudry publishing house, which published them in 1847. He was honored as a member of the new Spanish Theater, the former Prince's Theater. Besides that, the Royal Academy made it part of its organization; but he joined years later.

Later, in 1849, his father died. Zorrilla was deeply felt, because the relationship was never good. The poet did not make up his mind to forgive him; and the father, in addition to the position of conscience, left him several debts that affected his future as a writer.

Life in Latin America

Zorrilla returned for a moment more to Paris carrying his financial problems. Some time later she decided to go live in America, there she was away from the bad memories and experiences she had. He also tried to do some business without success, and did some literary readings in Mexico and Cuba.

In Mexico he spent a little over eleven years. He became friends with the Emperor Maximilian, who put the nascent National Theater in charge. The year he spent in Cuba was dedicated to trafficking slaves. The idea was to sell Mexican Indians to the sugar estates, but it did not come about due to the death of his partner Cipriano de las Cagigas.

Last years of Zorrilla

When he was living in Mexico, his wife Florentina died, so he had to return to Spain. When he was in Madrid he learned of the death of his friend Maximiliano I, by Benito Juárez. That event led him to write the poem El Drama del Alma, as a protest to the action of the liberals.

Some time later he remarried. At that time the economic inconveniences came over him, and there was no help to get him out of the jam. He underwent an operation to remove a brain tumor, this surgery was unsuccessful.

funeral of Zorrilla. Source: Juan Comba García

He died in the city of Madrid on January 23, 1893. At first he was buried in the San Justo cemetery. Later his remains were transferred to Valladolid, as the poet requested in life. He died in misery and poverty. He took with him the grudge against his father.

Plays

José Zorrilla was gifted with great writing skills. He had the facility to create unique verses. His writings were characterized by being accessible to readers of average knowledge. His works were almost always framed in historical events.

Being a man of faith allowed him to capture sin and repentance in his writings. In addition, the way in which he created or recreated the essence of the Spanish in his writings, always with flattery and an impeccable image, was what made his fame and recognition grow.

Don Juan Tenorio

It was a fantasy-style drama that José Zorrilla published in 1844. The play is based on the mythical Don Juan created by Tirso de Molina. The history of Zorrilla takes place in Seville in 1545, at the end of the reign of Carlos V of Spain. The author structured it in two parts, each one divided into acts.

The romantic characteristics of the work are presented between the impossible love of Don Juan and Ines, because the man flees to Italy after having killed two men. On the other hand, there are mysteries, dark and secret places, feeling prevails over reason, and the end is tragic.

Fragment:

“Calm down then, my life;

Rest here, and wait

forget about your convent

the sad gloomy jail

Oh! Yes, beautiful Inés, mirror and light of my eyes;

listen to me without anger, How do you do it, love is… ”.

A good judge, best witness

This work by Zorrilla dates from 1838, he included it in his publication Poesías. The poet was inspired by a Toledo tradition known as El Cristo de la Vega. The plot is based on the story of two lovers: Inés and Diego Martínez. The young woman's father, upon surprising her lover in her room, forces him to marry.

The young lover states that in a short time he will go on a trip, but that when he returns he promises to marry her. However, this arouses insecurity and mistrust in Inés, who demands that she promise to keep her word before Cristo de la Vega. From then on, a series of events take place that shape the work.

Fragment:

"A day and another day passed, a month and another month passed, and a year ago there was;

more from Flanders did not return

Diego, who left for Flanders.

The beautiful Ines cried

his return waiting in vain;

I prayed a month and another month

from the crucifix to the feet

the gallant put his hand… ”.

Traitor, Unconfessed and Martyr

This dramatic poem in dialogue dates from the year 1849. The story is based on King Sebastian I of Portugal. In the case of the work, the poet tells the story of the pastry chef Gabriel Espinoza who lives in Madrigal, whom Felipe II accuses of impersonating the sovereign Sebastián.

The play is structured in three acts, and some forty scenes. It takes place in Valladolid and in the Medina del Campo municipality. Regarding the style of language, the writer gives each character the characteristics of the social class to which they belong.

Fragment:

“Gabriel: I am stubborn and I suffer pain;

I am a soldier, and to death

I go as I was going to the fight:

slower or faster

finding it is a precise thing, but fearing it is an ugly thing… ”.

The Songs of the Troubadour

It was an epic poem written in 1840. It is divided into three volumes. In the first one there is an introduction, and the titles La Princesa Doña Luz and Histories of a Spaniard and two French women. While the next two comprise poems to historical figures.

Fragment:

"I am the troubadour who wanders

if these boundaries belong to your park

do not let me pass, command me to sing;

that I know of the brave gentlemen

the ungrateful lady, and the captive lover, the hidden date and the fierce fighting

with which they carried out their companies

for beautiful slaves and princesses… ”.

The highlights of his work

The compendium of works by José Zorrilla is distributed in the genres of lyric, legend, epic and dramatic poems. In the first, those of a religious nature such as The Virgin at the Foot of the Cross and The Wrath of God stood out, to these are added A Woman, Meditation and Toledo.

In the same way, the epic work was made up of the already described Los Cantos del Trouvador, in addition to Granada (1852), and the Leyenda del Cid (1882). Most of his works, as expressed in previous lines, had a historical character.

Within the genre of legend, A la Memoria de Larra stood out, which was a kind of homage to one of the greatest representatives of Spanish Romanticism and which earned him the recognition of many close friends of the poet. In the same way there were La Azucena Silvestre and La Pasionaria.

In the case of dramatic poems, the following can be mentioned: El Zapatero y el Rey, who wrote it between 1839 and 1842. There is also Sancho García, who dates from 1842; La Calentura (1847) and Cuentos de un Loco, from 1853. The latter is made up of three long chapters.

References

1. García, S. (2018). Biography of José Zorrilla. Spain: Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library. Recovered from: cervantesvirtual.com
2. José Zorrilla. (2018). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: wikipedia.org
3. José Zorrilla. (2018). (N / a): Lecturalia. Recovered from: lecturalia.com
4. The hazardous life of José Zorrilla in 52 'refreshments' (IV). (2018). Spain: Info Valladolid. Recovered from: info.valladolid.es
5. Tamaro, E. (2018). José Zorrilla. (N / a): Biographies and Lives: The Online Encyclopedia. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com