JUAN DE DIOS PEZA: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS, PHRASES - LITERATURE - 2024

Juan de Dios Peza (1852-1910) was a Mexican writer, poet and politician whose passion in the performance of his various trades established him as one of the most prominent figures in his country during the 19th century. Most of his work was within the ranks of Romanticism.

Peza's writings were characterized by having a simple and expressive language. Most of her poetic work was realistic, without ceasing to be emotional, and in many cases she was dedicated to her family, especially her children and her father.

File: Juan de Dios Peza. Source: José María Vigil, Vicente Riva Palacio, via Wikimedia Commons

Some of the most prominent titles of this Mexican writer were: Poetry, Song to the homeland, Songs from the home, Reír llorando and La beneficencia en México. Peza was also a notorious journalist, he carried out that job when he was young and motivated by the liberal spirit that prevailed in his time.

Biography

Birth

Juan de Dios was born on June 29, 1852 in Mexico City, into a traditional and conservative family. Like many aspects of his life, the data on his family are scarce; However, it is known that his father worked in the Mexican political sphere.

Peza Studies

Peza made his first studies at the School of Agriculture, then completed them at the Colegio San Ildefonso. Later, when he was fifteen, he began studying at the National Preparatory School; and although later he began his medical career, he decided to abandon it to dedicate himself to literature.

Peza "the liberal"

Perhaps for example family or life experiences, Juan de Dios Peza always manifested his liberal spirit. He understood perfectly what that meant socially and politically, so he did not hesitate to express it to the four winds, he made journalism his main window of expression.

First jobs

The incipient writer began to take his first steps in the world of letters and literature through the exercise of journalism. He worked and served as a collaborator in media such as: Universal Magazine, La Juventud Literaria, among many others.

Former Colegio de San Ildefonso, current Museum of Light, Peza's place of study. Source: Museum of Light - UNAM, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1873 he had the opportunity to bring to light his first poetic publication entitled: Poetry. The following year he made his debut in the Mexican theater movement of his time with the piece La Ciencia del Hogar, in the vicinity of the Conservatory Theater; little by little he was gaining recognition.

Personal life

Little research has been done on Peza's personal life; however it is known that their marriage did not work out. The one who was his wife abandoned him, although he suffered a lot, he knew how to stay strong to raise his two children, hence he wrote so much about home life.

Political activities of the writer

Along with his journalistic and writing work, Juan de Dios Peza ventured into political activities in his country; in 1876 he published: Hours of passion. Now, in 1878 he went to live in Spain to represent his country as secretary of the embassy, ​​for that date he released the work Mexican Poets and Writers.

During his stay in the Spanish capital, he took the opportunity to soak up the literary events of that time. He made friends with prominent Spanish intellectuals, such as: Ramón de Campoamor and Gaspar Núñez de Arce, so he was in constant evolution.

I return to Mexico

Before the end of the seventies of the nineteenth century, Peza returned to his country, and continued his political career always faithful to liberalism. He was promptly elected as a representative of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union. His work La lira mexicana was conceived for that time, specifically 1879.

Last years and death

Peza remained dedicated to letters throughout his life, both as a journalist and as a poet. Some of his latest works were: Cantos del Hogar and Memories, relics and portraits. Unfortunately he died on March 16, 1910 in Mexico City, when he was fifty-seven years old.

Style

The literary style of Juan de Dios Peza was framed in the literary current of Romanticism, in addition his texts had a strong load of realism. The language he used was characterized by being simple, expressive and also with some touches of affection and affection, without being exaggerated.

Coat of arms of the UNAM, place of studies of Peza. Source: UNAM, via Wikimedia Commons

In the specific case of poetry, the main themes that he developed were directed to the country, Mexico, his father, his children and the constitution of the home. In many of her verses her personal experiences were reflected; they have come to life in English, German, French, Hungarian and Japanese.

Plays

Poetry

Other titles

Brief description of some of his works

Charity in Mexico

It was a kind of documentary and essay work that this Mexican writer developed in relation to the country's hospitals at that time. The idea was given to him by Dr. Luís Fernández, who considered it necessary to know the history and functional status of these centers.

At first they were articles published in the newspaper La Reforma, which were later grouped together to turn them into a book. The work became an important reference on the operation of health institutions and the policies applied for their operation.

Fragment of "The Hospital of San Andrés"

“The Jesuits expelled from the Republic in 1767, found the inhabitants of this capital on the morning of June 23 of that year, deserted and abandoned the house in which those parents lived and which is nothing other than the building in which today San Andrés Hospital has been established…

… Founded in 1626 for the novitiate of the famous company, with the assets of Don Melchor Cuellar and María Nuño de Aguilar, his wife, lawsuits were raised upon the death of the donors, and until 1642 the construction of the building was concluded… ”.

Songs of the home

It was the most outstanding and important poetic work of Juan de Dios Peza, in which a stylistic quality stood out, without leaving aside expressiveness and rhyme. It was a totally personal collection of poems, where he reflected his experiences through a well-elaborated language full of tenderness.

Some of the poems that made up this book were:

- "My father".

- "To my daughter Concha."

- "My old Lauro."

- "Caesar at home."

- "My daughter Margot."

- "Baby".

- "Children's brawl".

- "The evening".

- "Come all three."

- "Name change".

- "My oasis".

- "My talisman".

- "The cult of the grandfather."

- "Homeland".

- "The weddings".

- "Games of the soul".

Fragment of "Baby"

"Baby gutter two months not fulfilled,

but mocking time and its setbacks, like all well-born children

He looks like a twenty-month-old man.

Blond, and with eyes like two stars

I saw him with a scarlet suit

in a Plateros showcase

on an Easter Sunday morning…

Who sees that in his daughters he revolts

the ambition to own a doll, does not feel defeated when it takes

two dollars in the vest bag? "

… The story of love with two premises,

equal the woman and do not be surprised;

A doll in the age of smiles, and in the age of tears, a man! ”.

Fragment of "My father"

"… In slow hours of misery and mourning,

full of firm and manly constancy;

keep the faith with which he spoke to me about heaven

in the early hours of my childhood.

The bitter ban and sadness

in his soul they opened incurable wound;

he is an old man, and he carries in his head

the dust of the path of life…

The nobility of the soul is its nobility;

the glory of duty forms its glory;

he is poor, but contains his poverty

the largest page in its history.

… Heaven wish that the song that inspires me

always his eyes with love see him, and of all the verses of my lyre

may these be worthy of my name ”.

Fragment of "Caesar at home"

"Juan, that soldier of three years,

that with a cap and a rifle dreams of being a man, and what has been in their childhood wars

a glorious heir to my name.

… With his little mischievous hands, unleashed the child, of the green guide, the tie on which there are printed

phrases that he has not deciphered yet… ”.

Memories, relics and portraits

This work by Juan de Dios Peza was a compilation of different articles that he wrote during his years of journalistic work. In these works, the Mexican author developed topics and research on history, literature, characters, places and much more.

The language of the book is simple and easily understood, and it also provided a light reading, because the writer used simple terms. In some of the writings Peza's own sentimentality was present; by the time of its publication it was notorious for its novelty.

Fragment

“I have just found in a corner of the most hidden drawer of my grandfather's old law firm, which I keep and preserve as a tabernacle of memories, a tiny box that I have never seen before. I opened it with curiosity and I found in it a decoration that was well known to me for many years…

… It is a cross with red enamel blades, with a white center and surrounded by a gold laurel. What Mexican does not know her? It is the award given to the defenders of Mexico in the year 1847 ”.

Summer Snow Shard

"As the story of love separates me

of the shadows that cloud my fortune, I collected this letter from that story

that I have laughed in the rays of the moon.

I am a very capricious woman

and let my conscience judge me,

to know if I'm beautiful

I resort to the frankness of my mirror.

… I do not know. I am yours, I adore you, with sacred faith, with the whole soul;

but without hope I suffer and cry;

Does spring cry also?

Every night dreaming a new charm

I return to desperate reality;

I am young, in truth, but I suffer so much

I already feel my tired youth…

Seek happiness full of sadness

without letting the wicked fate be yours,

my head full of white threads

and it brings an old age: that of boredom… ”.

Fragment of Rifles and Dolls

“Juan and Margot, two brother angels

that embellish my home with their love

they entertain themselves with such human games

who look like people from children.

While three-year-old Juan is a soldier

And ride on a weak and hollow reed

kisses Margot with pomegranate lips

the cardboard lips of her doll…

Innocence! Childhood! Happy men!

I love your joys, I look for your affections;

how the dreams of men must be, sweeter than children's dreams.

Oh my children! Don't want fortune

never disturb your innocent calm, do not leave that sword or that cradle:

When they are real, they kill the soul! ”.

Phrases

- “The carnival of the world is so deceiving that life is short masquerades; here we learn to laugh with tears, and also to cry with laughter ”.

- "He is poor, but his poverty forms the greatest page in his history."

- “I have in my home a unique sovereign whom my soul venerates; it is his crown of gray hair… ”.

- “My sadness is a sea; it has its mist that thickly envelops my bitter days ”.

- "With letters already erased by the years, on a paper that time has eaten away, a symbol of past disappointments, I keep a letter that sealed oblivion."

- "With the courage of your twenty years, you have written an increase that kills me!".

- “The hours of silence are so long that I understand the anguish with which you moan. The truths of the soul are bitter, and the lies of love, sublime.

- "Oh ungrateful world, how many setbacks in you I have suffered!"

- “Everything has passed! Everything has fallen! Only faith remains in my chest… ”.

- "I do not want to link to my destiny your sweet youth of quiet hours, nor do I have to give another sun to my path than the suns that your pupils guard."

References

1. Juan de Dios Peza. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Juan de Dios Peza. (S. f.). Cuba: Ecu Red. Recovered from: ecured.cu.
3. Juan de Dios Peza. (S. f.). Mexico: Encyclopedia of Literature in Mexico. Recovered from: elem.mx.
4. De la Cabada, N. (S. f.). Poems of Juan de Dios Peza. (N / a): The Poets. Recovered from: los-poetas.com.
5. Juan de Dios Peza. (S. f.). (N / a): Isliada. Recovered from: isliada.org.