Alfonso Reyes
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Reyes Ochoa was a Mexican
writer, philosopher and diplomat
.
and Aurelia Ochoa. His father was in important government positions during the government of Porfirio Diaz
, such as the governorship of Nuevo León and the Secretary of War and Navy.
Alfonso Reyes was educated primarily in Mexico City
.
In 1909, he and other like-minded young intellectuals such as Martín Luis Guzmán
and José Vasconcelos
, founded the Ateneo de la Juventud
to promote new cultural and aesthetic ideals and educational reform in Mexico. At the age of 21, Reyes published his first book, Cuestiones estéticas. The following year, 1912, he wrote a short story, La Cena ("The Supper"), considered a forerunner of surrealism
and of Latin American magical realism. In that year he was also named Secretary of the Escuela Nacional de Altos Estudios at the National Autonomous University of Mexico
.
Alfonso Reyes was posted to Mexico's diplomatic service in France
in 1913. After Germany invaded France in 1914, he moved to Madrid
, Spain
, and pursued a literary career as journalist, investigator, translator, critic, and writer. In 1915, he wrote what is probably his best known essay, "Visión de Anáhuac (1915)," with its famous epigraph, "Viajero: has llegado a la región más transparente del aire", the source of the title of Carlos Fuentes
's novel La región más transparente.
Reyes was reinstated in the diplomatic service in 1920. He was the second secretary in Spain in 1920, was in Paris from 1924 to 1927, then served as the ambassador to Argentina
(1927–30 and 1936–37). He was the Mexican ambassador to Brazil
from 1930 to 1935 and again in 1938. In 1939, he retired from the diplomatic corps and returned to Mexico, where he organized what is today El Colegio de México
and dedicated himself to writing and teaching.
paid homage to the excellence of Reyes's style with the following words: "Alfonso Reyes, the greatest prose writer in the Spanish language of any age, said to me: 'Groussac
taught me how to write in Spanish.'"
At least five avenues in Monterrey
's metropolitan area, and three in the municipality; and one in Mexico City are named after Reyes.
Nonfiction:
Fiction:
The Fondo de Cultura Económica
published his complete works in 26 volumes, titled Obras Completas de Alfonso Reyes. However, they are currently experiencing issues in downloading content.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
writer, philosopher and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Early life
Alfonso Reyes parents were Bernardo ReyesBernardo Reyes
Bernardo Reyes was a General in the army of Mexico under Porfirio Díaz. He served as governor of Nuevo León he helped in the modernization of that state. While governor of Nuevo León, Reyes approved a workers compensation law. He was the father of the writer Alfonso Reyes, and grandfather of the...
and Aurelia Ochoa. His father was in important government positions during the government of Porfirio Diaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
, such as the governorship of Nuevo León and the Secretary of War and Navy.
Alfonso Reyes was educated primarily in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
In 1909, he and other like-minded young intellectuals such as Martín Luis Guzmán
Martín Luis Guzmán
Martín Luis Guzmán Franco was a Mexican novelist and journalist.-Life:Guzmán was born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. Along with Mariano Azuela, he is considered a pioneer of the revolutionary novel, a genre inspired by the experiences of the Mexican Revolution of 1910...
and José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos
José Vasconcelos Calderón was a Mexican writer, philosopher and politician. He is one of the most influential and controversial personalities in the development of modern Mexico. His philosophy of "indigenismo" affected all aspects of Mexican sociocultural, political, and economic...
, founded the Ateneo de la Juventud
Ateneo de la Juventud
Ateneo de la Juventud was an association of intellectuals, primarily writers and philosophers, in the years surrounding the Mexican centennial of 1910...
to promote new cultural and aesthetic ideals and educational reform in Mexico. At the age of 21, Reyes published his first book, Cuestiones estéticas. The following year, 1912, he wrote a short story, La Cena ("The Supper"), considered a forerunner of surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
and of Latin American magical realism. In that year he was also named Secretary of the Escuela Nacional de Altos Estudios at the National Autonomous University of Mexico
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
.
Mexican Revolution
Reyes obtained his law degree in 1913, the same year that his father would die participating in an attempted coup d'état.Alfonso Reyes was posted to Mexico's diplomatic service in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1913. After Germany invaded France in 1914, he moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and pursued a literary career as journalist, investigator, translator, critic, and writer. In 1915, he wrote what is probably his best known essay, "Visión de Anáhuac (1915)," with its famous epigraph, "Viajero: has llegado a la región más transparente del aire", the source of the title of Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes
Carlos Fuentes Macías is a Mexican writer and one of the best-known living novelists and essayists in the Spanish-speaking world. He has influenced contemporary Latin American literature, and his works have been widely translated into English and other languages.-Biography:Fuentes was born in...
's novel La región más transparente.
Reyes was reinstated in the diplomatic service in 1920. He was the second secretary in Spain in 1920, was in Paris from 1924 to 1927, then served as the ambassador to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(1927–30 and 1936–37). He was the Mexican ambassador to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
from 1930 to 1935 and again in 1938. In 1939, he retired from the diplomatic corps and returned to Mexico, where he organized what is today El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México
El Colegio de México, A.C. is a prestigious Mexican institute of higher education, specializing in teaching and research in the social sciences and the humanities...
and dedicated himself to writing and teaching.
Homages
The great Argentinian writer Jorge Luis BorgesJorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
paid homage to the excellence of Reyes's style with the following words: "Alfonso Reyes, the greatest prose writer in the Spanish language of any age, said to me: 'Groussac
Paul Groussac
Paul-François Groussac was a French-born Argentine writer, literary critic, historian, and librarian. He was born in Toulouse to Catherine Deval and Pierre Groussac, the scion of an old Languedocian family.-Biography:...
taught me how to write in Spanish.'"
At least five avenues in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
's metropolitan area, and three in the municipality; and one in Mexico City are named after Reyes.
Selected works by Alfonso Reyes
Poetry:- Huellas
- Ifigenia cruel
- Yerbas del tarahumara
- MinutaMinutaMinuta, minute or small in Latin, may refer to :* a poetry work by Mexican writer Alfonso Reyes...
- Homero en Cuernavaca
Nonfiction:
- Cuestiones estéticas
- El suicida
- Visión de Anáhuac
- Vísperas de España
- Cartones de Madrid
- Simpatías y diferencias
- Calendario
- Homília por la cultura
- Capítulos de literatura española
- Pasado inmediato
- Estudios helénicos
- La filosofía helenística
- La X en la frente
- Memorias de cocina y bodega
- Las burlas veras
Fiction:
- Los tres tesoros
- El plano oblicuo
- Árbol de pólvora
- Quince presencias
The Fondo de Cultura Económica
Fondo de Cultura Económica
Fondo de Cultura Económica is the most important publishing house in Mexico and one of the most important ones in Latin America. It was originally established in 1934 by Daniel Cosío Villegas as a way to provide students of economics with books in Spanish on the subject...
published his complete works in 26 volumes, titled Obras Completas de Alfonso Reyes. However, they are currently experiencing issues in downloading content.
See also
- Alfonso Reyes International PrizeAlfonso Reyes International PrizeThe Alfonso Reyes International Prize is a Mexican award given for contributions to the world of literature....
- Enrique Díez CanedoEnrique Díez CanedoEnrique Díez Canedo , was a Spanish postmodernist poet, translator and literary critic.-Biography:...
, a Spanish writer and translator, friend of Alfonso Reyes who called his house in Mexico City "la Capilla Alfonsina".
External links
- The web page of Alfonso Reyes' house in Mexico City, known as "la Capilla Alfonsina".