MANUEL MARÍA FLORES: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Manuel María Flores (1840-1885) was a Mexican writer and poet whose work was framed within the current of romanticism. Little has been written about his life and work, however, his manuscripts made him stand out in the 19th century for their style and content.

Flores was heavily influenced by writers such as William Shakespeare, Victor Hugo, Dante Alighieri, among others. His work was characterized by having nuances of passion and eroticism, while using a language loaded with expressiveness and feelings.

Manuel Maria Flores. Source: Emiliano Canto Mayén, via Wikimedia Commons

The best known title of this Mexican writer has been Fallen Roses, which he dedicated to the great love of his life, the young Rosario de la Peña, a woman who aroused passions in various intellectuals of the time. Manuel María Flores was a prodigy of Mexican letters who with little production left a deep mark on the literature of his country.

Biography

Flower birth

Manuel María was born in the town of San Andrés Salchicomula, today Ciudad Serdán in the state of Puebla in 1840, the data on the day and the month are unknown. There is no information about his parents; but it is known that he came from a traditional family.

Writer's studies

Flores studied in schools in his hometown, later he entered the San Juan de Letrán institute to study philosophy. However, when he was nineteen he made the decision to retire to join the War of the Reform from the side of the Liberals.

Political performance

The writer was not only dedicated to literature, but also remained active in the political events of his country. This is how he was imprisoned in the dungeons of the San Carlos de Perote Fortress in Veracruz, after having participated in the second French invasion of Mexico.

The conflict was the product of Benito Juárez's refusal to pay the foreign debt to the French government, and when it ended, in 1867, Flores was released. Without wasting time he rejoined politics as a deputy, at that time he joined the group of intellectuals called Liceo Hidalgo.

Flowers at the Liceo Hidalgo

Writing was vital for Manuel María Flores, which is why he did not hesitate to be part of the Liceo Hidalgo Group, made up of authors such as Manuel Acuña, his good friend, and Ignacio Manuel Altamirano. From there his first literary work entitled: Pasionarias was born, in 1874.

The passionate love of Manuel María Flores

Manuel María Flores was known as a dedicated, sincere man, with good feelings and passionate. It was precisely passion that led him to have a loving relationship as a lover with Rosario de la Peña, muse of his verses and for whom his colleague and friend Manuel Acuña committed suicide.

Last years and death

Flores' life was short, it was not enough to finish his career in literature; she could not enjoy much of the publication of her work. His existence was fading between sadness, misery and blindness. He died on May 20, 1885 in Mexico City, when he was barely forty-five years old.

Oil on Soldiers of the reformist war in Mexico. Source: Primitivo Miranda, via Wikimedia Commons

The literary style of the Mexican writer was characterized by being defined in romanticism, also by the use of a simple and expressive language. In his writings the feelings of pain, love and passion were evidenced as a reflection of his personal life.

Influenced by important writers of classical literature, Manuel María Flores developed his literary talent based on emotions, the main source of inspiration in his erotic verses. It should be noted that there was humor in his work, as well as respect and love for his country.

Plays

- Pasionarias (1874).

- Crazy pages (Posthumous edition, 1903).

- Unpublished poems (Posthumous edition, 1910).

- Fallen roses (Posthumous edition, 1953).

Brief description of some of his works

Passion flower

It was the first poetic publication of the Mexican writer whose content was related to love, passion and eroticism. The introduction of this literary work was developed by the also author Ignacio Manuel Altamirano at the time of the Liceo Hidalgo Group.

Some of the poems that made up the book were:

- "Youth".

- "Echoes".

- "Vision".

- "My dream".

- "My angel".

- "To a mourning".

- "Moon night".

- "Creatura bella bianco vestita".

- "Thinking, loving."

- "Adoration".

- "Let's love each other."

- "Passion".

- "In the bathroom".

- "When you leave me."

- "Serene afternoon".

- "Bridal".

- "Your sun".

- "Under the palms".

- "Kisses".

- "Goodbye."

Fragment of "My dream"

“Last night I had a dream. At the foot of black palm

I was sitting: the shadow enveloped me.

The immense loneliness saddened my soul;

a nightingale sang… My heart heard:

–'I sing when they open, jasmine of the night, the pale stars

its luminous brooch, at the time they are called

beings who love each other.

I am in the shadow

herald of love '… ”.

Fragment of "Let's love each other"

"My soul was eagerly seeking your soul, I was looking for the virgin that my forehead

touched with his lip sweetly

in the feverish insomnia of love.

I was looking for the pale and beautiful woman

that in a dream visits me since I was a child, to leave with her my love, to share my pain with her.

… And I barely looked at you… you were the angel

ideal companion of my wakefulness, the virgin breed of looking from heaven

and of the pale forehead of love ”.

Fallen roses

This work by Flores was a kind of diary that he began to write in 1864 where he reflected his feelings towards Rosario de la Peña, in addition to his various youth loves. The writing came to light many decades after the death of the author.

In most of the poems contained in this work there was presence of the excessive passions of Manuel María, and his free feeling in love. Some scholars agree that the author entrusted the writing to José Castillo Piña, and he delegated it to Margarita Quijano who published it for the first time.

Fragment

"I had passed over them without looking at them, trampling them, spoiling them; with a lost look

In the gloomy sky and the wandering spirit in I don't know

what a vague and melancholic rêverie ”.

References

1. Manuel Maria Flores. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Biography of Manuel M. Flores (S. f.). Mexico: Alternative Life. Recovered from: amor.com.mx.
3. Moreno, E., De la Oliva, C. and others. (2019). Manuel Maria Flores. (N / a): Search Biographies. Recovered from: Buscabiografias.com.
4. Passionaries, poetry. (2014). (N / a): Archive. Recovered from: archive.org.
5. (S. f.). Spain: Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library. Recovered from: cervantesvirtual.com.