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'''Puerto Rican literature''' evolved from the art of ] to its present day status. Written works by the native islanders of ] were prohibited and repressed by the Spanish colonial government. Only those who were commissioned by the Spanish Crown to document the chronological history of the island were allowed to write.
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'''Puerto Rican literature''' is the body of literature produced by writers of Puerto Rican descent. It evolved from the art of ]. Written works by the indigenous inhabitants of ] were originally prohibited and repressed by the Spanish colonial government{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}.


It wasn't until the late 19th century with the arrival of the first printing press and the founding of the Royal Academy of Belles Letters that Puerto Rican literature began to flourish. The first writers to express their political views in regard to Spanish colonial rule of the island were journalists. After the United States invaded Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War and the island was ceded to the Americans as a condition of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, writers and poets began to express their opposition of the new colonial rule by writing about patriotic themes. It was not until the late 19th century, with the arrival of the first printing press and the founding of the Royal Academy of Belles Letters, that Puerto Rican literature began to flourish. The first writers to express their political views in regard to Spanish colonial rule of the island were journalists. After the United States invaded Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War and the island was ceded to the United States as a condition of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, writers and poets began to express their opposition of the new colonial rule by writing about patriotic themes.


With the Puerto Rican diaspora of the 1940s, Puerto Rican literature was greatly influenced by a phenomenon known as the ]. Puerto Rican literature continued to flourish and many Puerto Ricans have distinguished themselves as authors, poets, novelists, playwrights, essayists and in all the fields of literature. The influence of Puerto Rican literature has transcended the boundaries of the island to the United States and the rest of the world. With the Puerto Rican diaspora of the early and mid-20th century, and the subsequent rise of the ], Puerto Rican literature continued to evolve and many Puerto Ricans have distinguished themselves as authors, poets, novelists, playwrights, and essayists.


==Early history== ==Early history==
Puerto Rican literature got off to a late start. This was because the Spanish colonial government, which ruled over Puerto Rico at that time, feared that Puerto Rico would develop its own social and cultural identity and eventually seek its independence. Therefore, written works by the native islanders were prohibited and were punishable by prison terms or banishment. The island, which depended on an agricultural economy, had an illiteracy rate of over 80% in the beginning of the 19th century. The only people who had access to the libraries and who could afford books were either appointed Spanish government officials or wealthy land owners. The poor had to resort to oral story-telling in what are traditionally known in Puerto Rico as Coplas and Decimas. The development of Puerto Rican literature was hampered by the Spanish colonial government, which ruled over Puerto Rico since the early 1500s. The Spanish feared that, through literature, Puerto Rico would develop its own social and cultural identity and eventually seek independence. Written works by the indigenous inhabitants were prohibited and punishable by prison or banishment. Even though the first library in Puerto Rico was established in 1642, in the Convent of San Francisco, access to its books was limited to those who belonged to the religious order.<ref>Kanellos, Nicolás. ''Chronology of Hispanic American History: From Pre-Columbian Times to the Present'', p.48. New York: Gale Research, 1995.</ref> The only people who had access to the libraries and who could afford books were either appointed Spanish government officials or wealthy land owners. The poor had to resort to oral story-telling in what are traditionally known in Puerto Rico as ''Coplas and Decimas.''
]]] ]]]
The island's first writers were commissioned by the Spanish Crown to document only the chronological history of the island. Among these writers were Father ] who wrote about the history of Puerto Rico, Father ] who wrote poems about religious and historical themes and ] who was commissioned to write a general description of the ]. The first native-born Puerto Rican governor, Ponce de León II included information on ] culture, particularly their religious ceremonies and language. He also covered the early exploits of the ]s. These documents were then sent to the National Archives in Sevilla, Spain, where they were kept. The island's first writers were commissioned by the Spanish Crown to document the chronological history of the island. Among these writers were Father ], who wrote about the history of Puerto Rico, Father ], who wrote poems about religious and historical themes, and ], who was commissioned to write a general description of the ].


The first native-born Puerto Rican governor, Ponce de León II, wrote about ] culture, particularly their religious ceremonies and language. He also documented the early exploits of the ]s. These works were sent to the National Archives in Sevilla, Spain, where they were kept.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614091530/http://com.miami.edu/parks/sjcasablanca.htm |date=2009-06-14 }}</ref>
Puerto Rican history, however, was to change forever with the arrival of the first ] from Mexico in 1806. That same year Juan Rodríguez Calderón (a Spaniard) wrote and published the first book in the island, titled ''Ocios de la Juventud''. In 1851, the Spanish appointed governor of Puerto Rico, Juan de la Pezuela Cevallo, founded the Royal Academy of Belles Letters. This institution contributed greatly to the intellectual and literary progress of the island. The school licensed primary school teachers, formulated school methods, and held literary contests. However, only those with government positions and the wealthy benefited from the formation of the institution. It was ironic that the first Puerto Rican writers came from some of the island's wealthiest families, who were fed up with the injustices of the Spanish Crown.

Puerto Rican literary history changed with the arrival of the first ] from Mexico, in 1806. That same year Juan Rodríguez Calderón (a Spaniard) wrote and published the first book in the island, titled ''Ocios de la Juventud.'' In 1851, the Spanish appointed governor of Puerto Rico, Juan de la Pezuela Cevallo, founded the Royal Academy of Belles Letters. This institution contributed greatly to the intellectual and literary progress of the island. The school licensed primary school teachers, formulated school methods, and held literary contests. However, only those with government positions and the wealthy benefited from the formation of the institution. The first Puerto Rican writers came from some of the island's wealthiest families, and they were critical of the injustices of the Spanish Crown.


==19th century== ==19th century==
In 1806, the Spanish Colonial Government established "La Gaceta de Puerto Rico" (''The Puerto Rico Gazette''), Puerto Rico's first newspaper. The newspaper was biased in favor of the ideals of the government.


The first written works in Puerto Rico were influenced by the ] of the time. Journalists were the first writers to express their political views in the newspapers of the day and later in the books which they authored. Through their books and novels, they expressed what they believed were the social injustices, which included slavery and poverty, brought upon the common Puerto Rican by the Spanish Crown. Many of these writers were considered to be dangerous liberals by the colonial government and were banished from the island. An example of this treatment was poet and journalist ], who wrote against the Spanish Crown. Some went to the ], ] or ] where they continued to write about patriotic themes while in exile. The literature of these writers helped fuel the desire of some to revolt against the Spanish government in Puerto Rico, resulting in the failed attempt known as the ] in 1868. The first written works in Puerto Rico were influenced by the ] of the time. Journalists were the first writers to express their political views in the newspapers of the day and later in books. Through their books and novels, they illuminated social injustices, which included slavery and poverty. Many of these writers were considered to be dangerous liberals by the colonial government and were banished from the island. An example of this treatment was poet and journalist ], who wrote against the Spanish Crown. Some went to the ], ] or ] where they continued to write about patriotic themes while in exile. The literature of these writers helped fuel the desire of some to revolt against the Spanish government in Puerto Rico, resulting in the failed attempt known as the ] in 1868.


The period between 1868 and 1898 was crucial to the development of Puerto Rican institutions and the birth of a national arts and culture: there was a pro-independence rebellion, colonial reform, the formation of national political parties, the abolition of slavery (in 1873), and a brief period of autonomy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=A Puerto Rican Literature {{!}} In Search of a National Identity: Nineteenth and Early-Twentieth-Century Puerto Rico {{!}} Articles and Essays {{!}} Puerto Rico at the Dawn of the Modern Age: Nineteenth- and Early-Twentieth-Century Perspectives {{!}} Digital Collections {{!}} Library of Congress|url=https://www.loc.gov/collections/puerto-rico-books-and-pamphlets/articles-and-essays/nineteenth-century-puerto-rico/puerto-rican-literature/|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Library of Congress}}</ref> These events coincide with the promotion of a national culture expressed through literary language, music, architecture, and other arts.<ref name=":0" />
When the Americans invaded Puerto Rico during the ] in 1898, many members of the Puerto Rican literary class welcomed them believing that eventually Puerto Rico would be granted its independence. Instead, Puerto Rico was declared a territory of the United States. The new government failed to realize that Puerto Rico was already a nation with its own culture and proceeded to Americanize the island. Many writers and poets expressed their opposition by writing about patriotic themes through their work. Puerto Rican literature continued to flourish.


When the United States invaded Puerto Rico during the ] in 1898, many members of the Puerto Rican literary class welcomed them, believing that eventually Puerto Rico would be granted independence. Instead, the island was declared a territory of the United States. Many writers and poets expressed their opposition by writing about patriotic themes through their work.
==Twentieth century migration to the U.S.==
] building on East 3rd street]]
During the early part of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the eastern coast and Mid-western parts of the United States in search of a better way of life. Most settled in cities such as New York and ]. There they faced racial discrimination and other hardships. ], known as the Father of the ], was discriminated against because of the color of his skin (he was ]) and because of his difficulty speaking the English language. He wrote about his experiences, as well as the experiences of other immigrants, becoming among the first Puerto Ricans to do so in English. His best known work, ''A Puerto Rican in New York'', set the stage for the literary movement known as the "Nuyorican Movement". The aim of the Nuyorican Movement is to maintain the cultural identity in a foreign land of the Puerto Rican people. This movement is composed by a group of intellectuals which includes writers and poets who express their experiences as Nuyoricans living in the United States. Some of these writers and poets founded the ]. Colón inspired notable authors and playwrights such as ] (Whose ''El Bronx'' collection of stories earned her a finalist position for the ]), ], ], ], ] and others.<ref></ref>


==Twentieth-century migration to the United States==
==Books and novels==
] building on East 3rd street]]
]]]
During the early part of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the eastern coast and mid-western parts of the United States in search of a better way of life. Most settled in cities such as New York and ]. There they faced ethnic and racial discrimination and other hardships. ], known as the father of the ], was discriminated against because he was ] and had difficulty speaking English. He wrote about his experiences, as well as the experiences of other immigrants, becoming among the first Puerto Ricans to do so in English.
Some of Puerto Rico's earliest writers were influenced by the teachings of ]. Among these was Dr. ], the first Puerto Rican writer of notable importance. In 1849 he published ''El Gíbaro'', a collection of verses whose main themes were the poor Puerto Rican country farmer. ] who wrote ''La peregrinación de Bayoán'' in 1863, which used Bartolomé de las Casas as a spring board to reflect on Caribbean identity. After this first novel, Hostos abandoned fiction in favor of the essay which he saw as offering greater possibilities for inspiring social change. ] also known as the Father of Puerto Rican Literature, ushered in a new age of ] with the publication of ''The Historical Library of Puerto Rico''. ] was a renowned Puerto Rican historian and writer. His work ''The Indo-Antillano Vocabulary'' is valuable in understanding the way the ] lived. Dr. ] in 1899 wrote ''La Charca'' and told about the harsh life in the remote and mountainous coffee regions in Puerto Rico. Dr. ], described in his work ''Insularismo'' the cultural survival of the Puerto Rican identity after the American invasion. Prominent Puerto Rican novelists and short story writers whose works recount the hardships experienced by Puerto Rican immigrants to New York City include ], author of "Yo-Yo Boing!", ], and ] author of '']'' .

One of his works, ''A Puerto Rican in New York'', preceded the literary movement known as the "Nuyorican Movement". Ultimately, the Nuyorican Movement significantly influenced Puerto Rican literature, spurring themes such as cultural identity and discrimination.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lasalitacafe.com/puerto-rican-literature-art-culture/ | title=Puerto Rican Literature, Art & Culture | date=24 September 2014 | publisher=La Salita Cafe | access-date=25 September 2014}}</ref> The goal of the Nuyorican Movement is to maintain the cultural identity of the Puerto Rican people in a foreign land. This circle of intellectuals, writers, poets and playwrights express their experiences as Nuyoricans living in the United States, including those whose works eventually found mainstream audiences and scholarly attention: ] (''El Bronx Remembered''), ] ('']''), ] (''The Masses are Asses''), ] ('']''), ] (''When I Was Puerto Rican''), and others.

== Foundational fiction ==
]]]
Prominent 19th century Puerto Rican authors include ], author of ''] (1849)'', a collection of verses whose main themes were the poor Puerto Rican country farmer. ] wrote ''La peregrinación de Bayoán'' (1863), which used ] as a spring board to reflect on Caribbean identity. After this first novel, Hostos abandoned fiction in favor of the essay which he saw as offering greater possibilities for inspiring social change.

] ushered in a new age of ] with the publication of ''The Historical Library of Puerto Rico''. ] published a historical work that illuminated ] culture in ''The Indo-Antillano Vocabulary'' is valuable. ] (1894) wrote ''La Charca'' about the mountainous coffee regions in Puerto Rico. ], described in his work ''Insularismo'' the cultural survival of the Puerto Rican identity after the U.S. invasion.

A trend in Puerto Rican fiction to narrate urban stories and novels about migration and displacement is jettisoned by Puerto Rican authors who themselves migrate to New York City, including ], author of ''Omaha Bigelow and Blood Fugues''; ], author of '']'' and '']''; ], author of ''Spiks''; and ], author of "Loca la de la locura."


==Poetry== ==Poetry==

===Early Poetry===
===Early poetry===
]]]
]]]
] was Puerto Rico's first poetess and playwright. In 1832 she published her first poem "La Ninfa de Puerto Rico". Her niece was ], whose "Aguinaldo Puertorriqueño", published in 1843, gave her the recognition of being one of the island's great poets. Alejandrina's son ] is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest Romantic-era poet. ] was the poetess who wrote the lyrics to the revolutionary "]" used by the revolutionists in the ]. Poets ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] were independence advocates who wrote poems with patriotic inspired themes.
] published her first poem "La Ninfa de Puerto Rico" in 1832. Her niece was ], whose "Aguinaldo Puertorriqueño," published in 1843, gave her the recognition of being one of the island's great poets. Alejandrina's son ] is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest Romantic-era poet. ] wrote the lyrics to "]," which was used by the revolutionists in the ]. Poets ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] were independence advocates who wrote poems with patriotic inspired themes.
{{Clear}}

===Nationalism=== ===Nationalism===
In 1928, Soto Vélez together with Alfredo Margenat (father of Hugo Margenat), Pedro Carrasquillo, Graciany Miranda Archilla, Fernando González Alberti, Luis Hernández Aquino, Samuel Lugo, Juan Calderón Escobar and Antonio Cruz Nieves founded the group "El Atalaya de los Dioses" which turned into the literary movement known as "Atalayismo." <ref></ref> The "El Grupo Atalaya" movement sought to connect the poetic/literary world with political action and most of its members, including Soto Vélez became involved with the ].<ref name="CSV"></ref> In 1928, Soto Vélez, along with Alfredo Margenat (father of Hugo Margenat), Pedro Carrasquillo, Graciany Miranda Archilla, Fernando González Alberti, Luis Hernández Aquino, Samuel Lugo, Juan Calderón Escobar, and Antonio Cruz Nieves founded the group "El Atalaya de los Dioses," which launched the literary movement known as "Atalayismo."<ref>Costa, Marithelma and Alvin Joaquín Figueroa. ''Kaligrafiando: conversaciones con Clemente Soto Vélez''. Río Piedras, P.R.: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1990. {{ISBN|0-8477-3238-X}}</ref> The "El Grupo Atalaya" movement sought to connect the poetic/literary world with political action and most of its members, including Soto Vélez became involved with the ].<ref name="CSV"> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620075037/http://www.centropr.org/faids/velezb.html |date=June 20, 2010 }}</ref> ]'s postmodern work ] (2011) addresses the history of Puerto Rico decolonization efforts and declares the independence of Puerto Rico.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Hitchcock|first=Peter|url=https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030149796|title="Novelization in Decolonialization," Other Globes: Past and Peripheral Imaginations of Globalization|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2020|isbn=9783030149796|editor-last=Ferdinand|editor-first=Simon|series=Palgrave Studies in Globalization, Culture and Society|pages=177–194|language=en|editor-last2=Villaescusa-Illán|editor-first2=Irene|editor-last3=Peeren|editor-first3=Esther}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Riofrio|first=John|date=2020-03-01|title=Falling for debt: Giannina Braschi, the Latinx avant-garde, and financial terrorism in the United States of Banana|journal=Latino Studies|language=en|volume=18|issue=1|pages=66–81|doi=10.1057/s41276-019-00239-2|s2cid=212759434 |issn=1476-3443}}</ref>

===Universal lyricism=== ===Universal lyricism===
] wrote under the name "]" and published "Arras de Cristal" (1937), which describes the everyday struggles of the Puerto Rican. However, it was ] who was to be considered by many as one of the greatest poets to be born in Puerto Rico and who later lived in New York. The inspiration spurred by her love of Puerto Rico is reflected in her poem "Río Grande de Loíza". Other important lyric poets of the early twentieth century include ], ], and ].
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After the ], poets ] (Nobel Laureate, 1956) and his wife ] emigrate to Puerto Rico and settle in Juan Juan in 1946. Jiménez's ], ] poems influenced major Puerto Rican-born writers such as ] ('']'', 1988), ] (''El Libro de la Muerte'', 1985), and ] ('']'', 1950).<ref>{{Cite web|title='Elemental Creature' - Poem of the week|url=https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/elemental-creature/|access-date=2020-08-29|website=TLS|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Hispanic Heritage Month at SED Honoring Hispanic Exemplary Teachers|url=http://www.sedcenter.org/4/post/2018/09/hispanic-heritage-month-at-sed-honoring-hispanic-exemplary-teachers.html|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Spanish Education Development (SED) Center|language=en}}</ref>
| audio1 = You may listen to Marilyn Pupo recite Julia de Burgos in "'''Marilyn Pupo declama "A Julia de Burgos"'''".<ref></ref>

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]'s verses deal with nationality, folklore and regionalism, but also touch upon universal lyricism.<ref>Marxuach, Carmen Irene. ''Evaristo Ribera Chevremont: Voz De Vanguardia''. San Juan: Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe y la Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1987. OCLC 19267286</ref> ] became the first Hispanic poet to be published by a mainstream publishing house (Random House) with the collection ''Snaps'', in 1969.
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] wrote under the name "Clara Lair" and published "Arras de Cristal" in 1937. In her poem she describes the everyday struggles of the common Puerto Rican. However, it was ] who was to be considered by many as one of the greatest poets to be born in Puerto Rico and who later lived in New York. The inspiration spurred by her love of Puerto Rico is reflected in her poem "Río Grande de Loíza". Of the great poets of Puerto Rico, Julia de Burgos, ], ], ], and ], the latter is considered by some the most lyrical. In her scholarly book ''Evaristo Ribera Chevremont: Voz de Vanguardia'', Carmen Irene Marxuach has argued that while several of Ribera Chevremont's dozens of published books do treat the subjects of Puerto Rican nationality and regionalism, the majority of his verses move away from folkloric subject matter and excel in a more universal lyricism.<ref>Marxuach, Carmen Irene. ''Evaristo Ribera Chevremont: Voz De Vanguardia''. San Juan: Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe y la Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 1987. OCLC 19267286</ref> Robert Márquez's anthology ''Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times'' offers a useful overview and translation into English of many of the most important Puerto Rican poets.<ref>Márquez, Robert, ed. ''Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times''. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2007. ISBN 1558495614</ref>


==Playwrights and essayists== ==Playwrights==
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Among the major figures in Puerto Rican theater is ] (1919-1979 ) author of The ''Oxcart'' (]), which dramatizes the hardships of a Puerto Rican family who move from the island to New York City.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Oxcart {{!}} work by Marqués|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Oxcart|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> His prose contributions include ''El Puertorriqueño Dócil y Otros Ensayos''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2009-01-28|title=The Docile Puerto Rican|journal=Foreign Affairs: America and the World|language=en-US|url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/reviews/capsule-review/1976-07-01/docile-puerto-rican|access-date=2020-08-29|issn=0015-7120}}</ref> ] (1915–2007), a prominent voice of Puerto Rican theater, developed a dramatic style known as '']'' and authored "] y ]" (1958) and ''Vejigantes.''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Francisco Arriví|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095425841|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Oxford Reference|language=en}}</ref> He helped to establish various theater festivals and the ] (Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center) in Puerto Rico.<ref>Pérez-Rivera, Tatiana. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214407/http://biblioteca.uprh.edu/cultural/biografias/letra%20a/Francisco%20Arrivi.htm |date=2016-03-03 }} ''El Nuevo Día'' February 9, 2007.</ref>
One of Puerto Rico's greatest essayists and playwrights was ] (1915–2007) known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Theater". Arriví who used a style known as "Areyto" presented in 1955, what is considered by many as one of greatest works, "Bolero y plena" at the University Theater and in 1958, he presented "Vejigantes" in the First Festival of Puerto Rican Theater. These were followed by "Sirena" (Mermaid) and "Medusa en la Bahía" (Medusa in the Bay). Arriví gained international recognition and his plays were presented abroad. He was instrumental in the establishemnt of various theater festivals and in the establishment of the ] (Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center) in Puerto Rico.<ref name="ND"></ref> Among the other great playwrights of Puerto Rico are ], whose "Oxcart" (La carreta) follows the hardships of a Puerto Rican family that moves from the island to New York City and whose ''El puertorriqueño dócil y otros ensayos'' describes the psychological and political realities of the island, ], whose ''País de cuatro pisos y otros ensayos'' describes the rigid structures of island society, and ], whose plays, short stories, essays, and novels, especially ] (translated by ] as ]) have rendered him one of Puerto Rico's greatest contemporary writers.

] (1936-) wrote ''Pasión según Antígona Pérez'' (The Passion According to Antigona Perez), a ] based on the life of ].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Cardullo|first=Robert J.|date=2018-07-03|title=The portable Antigone: Luis Rafael Sánchez's drama The Passion of Antígona Pérez|journal=Romance Quarterly|volume=65|issue=3|pages=154–161|doi=10.1080/08831157.2018.1492860|s2cid=166200694|issn=0883-1157}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Luis Rafael Sánchez|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100439859|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Oxford Reference|language=en}}</ref>

Among the Puerto Rican ] writers is ] whose dramatic dialogues celebrate Puerto Rican artistic expression and acknowledge the works of her compatriots ], ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Stanchich|first=Maritza|title="Bilingual Big Bang: Giannina Braschi's Trilogy Levels the Spanish-English Playing Field," Poets, Philosophers, Lovers: On the Writings of Giannina Braschi. Aldama, Frederick Luis (ed)|publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press|year=2020|isbn=9780822946182|location=Pittsburgh}}</ref> Braschi's work ], which features Hamlet, Zarathustra and Hamlet on a mission to liberate Puerto Rico, was staged at the Shapiro Theater in New York City (2015).<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lugo-Beltran|first=Dorian|title="Leaping Off the Page: Giannina Braschi's Intermedialities," Poets, Philosophers, Lovers: On the Writings of Giannina Braschi. Aldama, Frederick Luis.|publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press|year=2020|isbn=9780822946182|location=Pittsburgh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Almodovar|first=Coral N. Negron|title=Reclamo de la libertad desde las letras: Giannina Braschi disfruta del rumbo que ha tomado su obra United States of Banana (desde el libro, al teatro y al comic)|date=8 July 2015|work=El Nuevo Dia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Feinberg|first=Ruthie|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/13-theatre-works-that-responded-to-9-11|title=13 Theatre Works That Responded to 9/11: Plays and songs inspired by the tragedies of the terrorist attacks, their aftermath, and the rebuilding of America.|date=11 September 2017|work=Playbill|access-date=11 September 2017}}</ref>

Emerging Puerto Rican playwrights include ], founder of Casa Cruz de la Luna in ]. Also notable in this category is playwright and screenwriter ], the first Puerto Rican screenwriter to be nominated for an ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vigil|first=Delfin|date=2008-01-20|title=Jose Rivera's Che Guevara play: 'School of the Americas''|url=https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Jose-Rivera-s-Che-Guevara-play-School-of-the-3297525.php|access-date=2020-08-29|website=SFGate}}</ref>

Stateside playwrights of Puerto Rican ancestry include ], who won a Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Awards for the Broadway musical ''Hamilton''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Lin-Manuel Miranda {{!}} Biography, Musicals, Hamilton, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lin-Manuel-Miranda|access-date=2020-10-12|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> Miranda, whose parents are Puerto Rican, co-created ] with ], whose mother is Puerto Rican.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Pollack-Pelzner|first=Daniel|title=Quiara Alegría Hudes Rewrites the American Landscape|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/quiara-alegria-hudes-gives-the-american-landscape-a-puerto-rican-voice|access-date=2020-10-12|magazine=The New Yorker|date=5 April 2018|language=en-us}}</ref>

==Journalists==
A variety of journalists and columnists further enrich Puerto Rican letters.

] published more than 300 editorials in ] about the New York/Puerto Rican diaspora, which were recognized with repeated "Best Editorial Writing" awards from the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manhattantimesnews.com/2011/qjuan-boboq-chapter-1.html |title=Manhattan Times News |publisher=Manhattan Times News |access-date=2012-12-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007091116/http://www.manhattantimesnews.com/2011/qjuan-boboq-chapter-1.html |archive-date=2011-10-07 }}</ref> Denis's history book ''War Against All Puerto Ricans'', about the evolution of US-Puerto Rico relations since 1898, was the best-selling book in Puerto Rico in 2015 and 2016.<ref> Retrieved 2015-5-13.</ref>

] (1926-1996) whose work ''País de cuatro pisos y otros ensayos'' describes the rigid structures of island society.<ref>{{Cite book|last=González, José Luis, 1926-1996.|title=Puerto Rico : the four-storeyed country and other essays|date=1993|publisher=M. Wiener Pub|isbn=1-55876-072-5|location=Princeton|oclc=27147530}}</ref>

] is a journalist at the ]. Over a 25-year career, Gonzalez has written hundreds of stories in the ''New York Times'' which deal with the history, culture, politics and people of Puerto Rico. In 2013, the ] inducted Gonzalez into its Hall of Fame, in recognition of his lifetime of committed and compassionate journalism.<ref></ref>

] is a journalist, radio host, and TV commentator in New York City. He has been editor-at-large of City & State NY<ref></ref> and editor-in-chief of ], the largest Spanish-language newspaper in ].<ref></ref> His press coverage has ranged from New York City politics,<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref> cultural reviews<ref></ref> and personality profiles,<ref></ref> to the Somos Uno Conference<ref></ref> and the ].<ref></ref>

==Historians==
Historians such as Dr. ] have written books and documented the contributions that Puerto Rican women have made to society. Arrigoitia was the first person in the University of Puerto Rico to earn a master's degree in the field of history. Her publications, which cover Puerto Rico's early-20th-century politicians, include: ''Jose De Diego el legislador, San Juan'', ''Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo;'', ''Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938;'' and ''Introduccion a la Historia de la Moda en Puerto Rico''.<ref name="EV">"Los Tres Hombres de Delma"; ''El Vocero''; by Carlos Ochpteco; March 27, 2010; p. 30</ref>

Teresita A. Levy's ''Puerto Ricans in the Empire: The History of Tobacco Cultivation in Puerto Rico, 1898-1940'', a study of the tobacco-growing regions in the eastern and western highlands of Puerto Rico, is the first book to tell how Puerto Ricans challenged United States officials and fought successfully for legislation that benefited the island. Her book has been praised by scholars.<ref></ref><ref></ref> ''Puerto Ricans in the Empire'' provides an excellent introduction to Puerto Rico's crucial tobacco industry, with fascinating material on farmer organizations and agricultural research."
—Herbert S. Klein, Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History Columbia University
{{Clear}}


==Modern and contemporary Puerto Rican literature== ==Modern and contemporary Puerto Rican literature==
After a nationalist tradition of Puerto Rican writers from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, authors are catalogued by decade into "generations." Some highly representative writers from the early and mid-20th century were: ], ], ], Enrique Laguerre, and Francisco Matos Paoli. These Puerto Rican writers wrote in Spanish and reflected a literary Latin American tradition, and offered a variety of universal and social themes. Major writers who got their start in the 1950s include José Luis González, ], Pedro Juan Soto, and ].
]]]

After a vibrant nationalist tradition of Puerto Rican writers from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the island has maintained a solid production of outstanding authors. Oftentimes, these writers are cataloged by decade into "generations" (for example, writers who got their start in the 1950s are identified as "the Generation of 1950"). Some highly representative writers from the early and mid-20th century were: Juan Antonio Corretjer, Luis Lloréns Torres, Luis Palés Matos, Enrique Laguerre, and Francisco Matos Paoli. These Puerto Rican writers wrote in Spanish and reflected a literary Latin American tradition, and offered a variety of universal and social themes. Some of the most important writers who got their start in the 1950s were José Luis González, René Marqués, Pedro Juan Soto, and Emilio Díaz Valcárcel. Writers who started in the 1960s and 1970s included Carmen Lugo Filippi, Lourdes Vázquez, ], Luis Rafael Sánchez, ], Ángel Encarnación, Edgardo Sanabria Santaliz, ], ], and ]. Writers whose careers took off in the 1980s and 1990s include ], ], ], ] and Dr. ] whose written works cover the life and works of some of Puerto Ricos most prominent politicians of the early 20th century.<ref></ref> New and emerging voices on the island<ref></ref> include Rafael Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, ], Ana María Fuster Lavín, ], Alberto Martínez Márquez, Maribel Ortiz, Max Resto, and José E. Santos, while Spanish-language writers such as ], ], and Alfredo Villanueva Collado write and publish their works in the U.S., Puerto Rican literature in English continues to flourish with the important contributions of authors such as ], ], and ].
Authors whose careers began in the 1960s and 1970s include ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Major writers of the 1980s and 1990s include ], ], ], ], ], and ].

Breakthrough voices of a new Puerto Rican literature began to emerge at the turn of the new century with the publication of Pedro Cabiya's ''Historias tremendas'' in 1999. Identity politics and the complexities of Puerto Rico's relationship with the U.S. — topics that had dominated the work of previous writers — gave way to the exploration of new genres and themes, such as ] ], horror, fantasy, and noir, as seen in the short stories, novels, and comics by Pedro Cabiya, the experimentation by Bruno Soreno,<ref>Morales Boscio, Cynthia. ''La incertidumbre del ser''. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Isla Negra Editores, 2009.</ref> and the short stories by José Liboy and Luis Negrón (whose ''Mundo Cruel won'' a ], 2014).<ref>. '']'', June 2, 2014.</ref>


Emerging voices on the island include Rafael Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, ], ], Ricardo A. Domínguez, Ana María Fuster Lavín, ], Juan López Bauzá, Alberto Martínez Márquez, ], Maribel Ortiz, Max Resto, and José E. Santos. ], ], ], Alfredo Villanueva Collado write and publish their works in Spanish on the mainland USA. Puerto Rican authors who write in English include ], Ivelisse Rodriguez, Lilliam Rivera, ], ], ], and ].
Numerous anthologies focus on the work of Puerto Rican writers. Some of these are ''Literatura y narrativa puertorriqueña: La escritura entre siglos'' edited by Mario Cancel;<ref>Cancel, Mario R. ''Literatura y narrativa puertorriqueña: la escritura entre siglos''. Puerto Rico: Editorial Pasadizo, 2007. ISBN 0979165008</ref> ''Literatura puertorriqueña del siglo XX: Antología'' edited by Mercedes López Baralt;<ref>López Baralt, Mercedes. ''Literatura puertorriqueña del siglo XX: Antología''. San Juan: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 2004. ISBN 0847701565</ref> and ''Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora'', edited by David Caleb Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, which focuses on ] Puerto Rican literature.<ref>Acevedo, David Caleb, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, eds. ''Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora''. San Juan: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 2007. ISBN 0977361284</ref>


== Anthologies ==
Most recently, the more than 300 editorials published by ], ] in ], all of them on the cutting edge of the New York/Puerto Rican diaspora, were recognized with repeated "Best Editorial Writing" Awards from the ].
Anthologies that focus on Puerto Rican writers include:
* ''Aftershocks of Disaster: Puerto Rico Before and After the Storm,'' edited by Yarimar Bonilla and Marisol LeBrón (Haymarket Books, 2019)
* ''Boricua en la Luna,'' edited by Elena M. Aponte
* ''Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings,'' edited by Roberto Santiago (Ballantine Books, 1995)
* ''Borinquen: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Literature,'' edited by Maria Teresa Babin and Stan Steiner (Knopf, 1974)
* ''Breaking Ground/Abriendo Caminos: Anthology of Puerto Rican Women Writers in New York, 1980-2012,'' edited by Myrna Nieves<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://phatitudeliterarymagazine.org/breaking-ground-anthology-of-puerto-rican-women-writers-in-new-york-1980-2012/|title=Breaking Ground: Anthology of Puerto Rican Women Writers in New York 1980-2012|website=phati'tude Literary Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-22}}</ref>
* ''Growing Up Puerto Rican,'' edited by Joy L. De Jesús (William Morrow and Company, 1997)
* ''Literatura y narrativa puertorriqueña: La escritura entre siglos,'' edited by Mario Cancel
* ''Literatura puertorriqueña del siglo XX: Antología,'' edited by Mercedes López Baralt<ref>López Baralt, Mercedes
''Literatura puertorriqueña del siglo XX: Antología''. San Juan: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, 2004.</ref>
* ''Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora,'' edited by David Caleb Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, which focuses on ] themes<ref>Acevedo, David Caleb, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, eds.
''Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora.'' San Juan: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 2007. {{ISBN|0-9773612-8-4}}</ref>
* ''Nuestro New York: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Plays'', edited by John V. Antush (SIgnet, 1994)
* ''¡Pa'que Tu Lo Sepas!'' edited by Angel Luis Colón
* ''Puerto Rico en Mi Corazón,'' edited by Raquel Salas Rivera, Ricardo Maldonado, Carina del Valle Schorske (Anomalous Press, 2019)
* ''Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times,'' edited by Robert Márquez<ref>Márquez, Robert, ed.
''Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times.'' Amherst: ], 2007. {{ISBN|1-55849-561-4}}</ref>
* ''Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the U.S.A.,'' edited by Faythe Turner (Open Hand, 1991)
* ''San Juan Noir,'' edited by Mayra Santos-Febres (Akashic Noir, 2016


==See also== ==See also==
{{Portal box|Puerto Rico|Literature}} {{Portal|Puerto Rico|Literature}}
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* ] * ]
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==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==Further Research== ==Further reading==
* ] and ]. ''Poets, Philosophers, Lovers: On The Writings of Giannina Braschi''. University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020. {{ISBN|9780822946182}}
* "Antología de Poesía Puertorriqueña". (Vol. 1: Romanticismo, Vol. 2 Modernismo y Post Modernismo, Vol. 3 Contemporanea, Vol.4 Contemporanea), by Rubén A. Moreira, 1992-1993.
* Brahan, Persephone. ''From Amazons to Zombies: Monsters in Latin America'' (Bucknell Studies in Latin American Literature and Theory). Bucknell University Press (November 19, 2015). {{ISBN|9781611487060}}
* "Los nuevos caníbales: Antología de la más reciente poesía del Caribe hispano". Pausides, Alex and Gómez Beras, Carlos et.al. San Juan: Isla Negra Editores, 2003.
* Caulfield, Carlota. "US Latina Caribbean Women Poets." In Carlota Caulfield and Darién Davis, Jr., eds., ''A Companion to US Latino Literatures''. Woodbridge: Tamesis, 2007. {{ISBN|978-1-85566-139-4}}
* "Cuerpos errantes: literatura latina y latinoamericana en Estados Unidos": ''Poetas en Nueva York: Julia de Burgos y Giannina Braschi'', by Laura R. Loustau, 2002.
* Gordis, Yanis. "Island and Continental Puerto Rican Literature: Cross-Cultural and Intertextual Considerations". Special Section: Multicultural Literature, Part IV. In ''ADE Bulletin'' 91 (Winter 1988). One of five articles about Puerto Rican literature.
* "Cultural Identity and Postmodern Writing": ''Enchantment or Fright? Identity and Postmodern Writing in Contempory Puerto Rico,'' by Kristian van Haesondonck, Rodopi, 2006.
* Loustau, Laura R. ''.'' Rosario, Argentina: Beatriz Viterbo Editora, 2002. {{ISBN|950-845-118-1}}
* "US Latina Caribbean Women Poets" by Carolota Caulfield, Boydell & Brewer Ltd, 2007.
* Moreira, Rubén A., ed. ''Antología de Poesía Puertorriqueña''. (Vol. 1: Romanticismo, Vol. 2 Modernismo y Post Modernismo, Vol. 3 Contemporánea, Vol.4 Contemporánea). San Juan, P.R.: Tríptico Editores, 1992-1993.
* Pausides, Alex, Pedro Antonio Valdez, and Carlos Roberto Gómez Beras, eds. ''Los nuevos caníbales: Antología de la más reciente poesía del Caribe hispano''. San Juan: Isla Negra Editores, 2003. {{ISBN|1-932271-06-6}}
* Rivera, Carmen Haydée. ''Diasporic Journeys: Interviews with Puerto Rican Writers in the United States.'' New York: CENTRO Press, 2023. {{ISBN|979-8396590083}}
* Rosado, José Ángel, ed. ''El rostro y la máscara: Antología alterna de cuentistas puertorriqueños contemporáneos.'' San Juan, Puerto Rico. Isla Negra Editores, 1995.
* Torres-Padilla, Jose L. and Carmen Haydee Rivera. ''Writing Off the Hyphen: New Critical Perspectives on the Literature of the Puerto Rican Diaspora''. Seattle: U. of Washington Press, 2008. {{ISBN|9780295988139}}
* van Haesendonck, Kristian. "Enchantment or Fright? Identity and Postmodern Writing in Contemporary Puerto Rico." In Theo D'Haen and Pieter Vemeulen, eds., ''''. New York and Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006. {{ISBN|978-90-420-2118-1}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Commons category|Literature of Puerto Rico}}
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*Gordis, Yanis. . Special Section: Multicultural Literature, Part IV. In ''ADE Bulletin'' 91 (Winter 1988). One of five articles about Puerto Rican literature.
* a journal of literature, language, and culture is online in the ] from the ]
*


{{Puerto Rico topics}}
{{North American topic|| literature}} {{North American topic|| literature}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Puerto Rican Literature}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Puerto Rican Literature}}
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Latest revision as of 22:48, 7 January 2025

From oral story telling to its present-day
Part of a series on the
Culture of Puerto Rico
Society
Topics
Symbols
Tapia y RiveraBenítez de GautierGautier Benítezde HostosPedreira

Puerto Rican literature is the body of literature produced by writers of Puerto Rican descent. It evolved from the art of oral storytelling. Written works by the indigenous inhabitants of Puerto Rico were originally prohibited and repressed by the Spanish colonial government.

It was not until the late 19th century, with the arrival of the first printing press and the founding of the Royal Academy of Belles Letters, that Puerto Rican literature began to flourish. The first writers to express their political views in regard to Spanish colonial rule of the island were journalists. After the United States invaded Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War and the island was ceded to the United States as a condition of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, writers and poets began to express their opposition of the new colonial rule by writing about patriotic themes.

With the Puerto Rican diaspora of the early and mid-20th century, and the subsequent rise of the Nuyorican Movement, Puerto Rican literature continued to evolve and many Puerto Ricans have distinguished themselves as authors, poets, novelists, playwrights, and essayists.

Early history

The development of Puerto Rican literature was hampered by the Spanish colonial government, which ruled over Puerto Rico since the early 1500s. The Spanish feared that, through literature, Puerto Rico would develop its own social and cultural identity and eventually seek independence. Written works by the indigenous inhabitants were prohibited and punishable by prison or banishment. Even though the first library in Puerto Rico was established in 1642, in the Convent of San Francisco, access to its books was limited to those who belonged to the religious order. The only people who had access to the libraries and who could afford books were either appointed Spanish government officials or wealthy land owners. The poor had to resort to oral story-telling in what are traditionally known in Puerto Rico as Coplas and Decimas.

Father Diego de Torres Vargas

The island's first writers were commissioned by the Spanish Crown to document the chronological history of the island. Among these writers were Father Diego de Torres Vargas, who wrote about the history of Puerto Rico, Father Francisco Ayerra de Santa María, who wrote poems about religious and historical themes, and Juan Ponce de León II, who was commissioned to write a general description of the West Indies.

The first native-born Puerto Rican governor, Ponce de León II, wrote about Taíno culture, particularly their religious ceremonies and language. He also documented the early exploits of the conquistadors. These works were sent to the National Archives in Sevilla, Spain, where they were kept.

Puerto Rican literary history changed with the arrival of the first printing press from Mexico, in 1806. That same year Juan Rodríguez Calderón (a Spaniard) wrote and published the first book in the island, titled Ocios de la Juventud. In 1851, the Spanish appointed governor of Puerto Rico, Juan de la Pezuela Cevallo, founded the Royal Academy of Belles Letters. This institution contributed greatly to the intellectual and literary progress of the island. The school licensed primary school teachers, formulated school methods, and held literary contests. However, only those with government positions and the wealthy benefited from the formation of the institution. The first Puerto Rican writers came from some of the island's wealthiest families, and they were critical of the injustices of the Spanish Crown.

19th century

In 1806, the Spanish Colonial Government established "La Gaceta de Puerto Rico" (The Puerto Rico Gazette), Puerto Rico's first newspaper. The newspaper was biased in favor of the ideals of the government.

The first written works in Puerto Rico were influenced by the Romanticism of the time. Journalists were the first writers to express their political views in the newspapers of the day and later in books. Through their books and novels, they illuminated social injustices, which included slavery and poverty. Many of these writers were considered to be dangerous liberals by the colonial government and were banished from the island. An example of this treatment was poet and journalist Francisco Gonzalo Marín, who wrote against the Spanish Crown. Some went to the Dominican Republic, Cuba or New York City where they continued to write about patriotic themes while in exile. The literature of these writers helped fuel the desire of some to revolt against the Spanish government in Puerto Rico, resulting in the failed attempt known as the Grito de Lares in 1868.

The period between 1868 and 1898 was crucial to the development of Puerto Rican institutions and the birth of a national arts and culture: there was a pro-independence rebellion, colonial reform, the formation of national political parties, the abolition of slavery (in 1873), and a brief period of autonomy. These events coincide with the promotion of a national culture expressed through literary language, music, architecture, and other arts.

When the United States invaded Puerto Rico during the Spanish–American War in 1898, many members of the Puerto Rican literary class welcomed them, believing that eventually Puerto Rico would be granted independence. Instead, the island was declared a territory of the United States. Many writers and poets expressed their opposition by writing about patriotic themes through their work.

Twentieth-century migration to the United States

The Nuyorican Poets Café building on East 3rd street

During the early part of the 20th century, many Puerto Ricans moved to the eastern coast and mid-western parts of the United States in search of a better way of life. Most settled in cities such as New York and Chicago. There they faced ethnic and racial discrimination and other hardships. Jesús Colón, known as the father of the Nuyorican Movement, was discriminated against because he was Black and had difficulty speaking English. He wrote about his experiences, as well as the experiences of other immigrants, becoming among the first Puerto Ricans to do so in English.

One of his works, A Puerto Rican in New York, preceded the literary movement known as the "Nuyorican Movement". Ultimately, the Nuyorican Movement significantly influenced Puerto Rican literature, spurring themes such as cultural identity and discrimination. The goal of the Nuyorican Movement is to maintain the cultural identity of the Puerto Rican people in a foreign land. This circle of intellectuals, writers, poets and playwrights express their experiences as Nuyoricans living in the United States, including those whose works eventually found mainstream audiences and scholarly attention: Nicholasa Mohr (El Bronx Remembered), Piri Thomas (Down These Mean Streets), Pedro Pietri (The Masses are Asses), Giannina Braschi (Yo-Yo Boing!), Esmeralda Santiago (When I Was Puerto Rican), and others.

Foundational fiction

Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía

Prominent 19th century Puerto Rican authors include Manuel A. Alonso, author of El Gíbaro (1849), a collection of verses whose main themes were the poor Puerto Rican country farmer. Eugenio María de Hostos wrote La peregrinación de Bayoán (1863), which used Bartolomé de las Casas as a spring board to reflect on Caribbean identity. After this first novel, Hostos abandoned fiction in favor of the essay which he saw as offering greater possibilities for inspiring social change.

Alejandro Tapia y Rivera ushered in a new age of historiography with the publication of The Historical Library of Puerto Rico. Cayetano Coll y Toste published a historical work that illuminated Taínos culture in The Indo-Antillano Vocabulary is valuable. Manuel Zeno Gandía (1894) wrote La Charca about the mountainous coffee regions in Puerto Rico. Antonio S. Pedreira, described in his work Insularismo the cultural survival of the Puerto Rican identity after the U.S. invasion.

A trend in Puerto Rican fiction to narrate urban stories and novels about migration and displacement is jettisoned by Puerto Rican authors who themselves migrate to New York City, including Edgardo Vega Yunqué, author of Omaha Bigelow and Blood Fugues; Giannina Braschi, author of Yo-Yo Boing! and United States of Banana; Pedro Juan Soto, author of Spiks; and Manuel Ramos Otero, author of "Loca la de la locura."

Poetry

Early poetry

Lola Rodríguez de Tió

María Bibiana Benítez published her first poem "La Ninfa de Puerto Rico" in 1832. Her niece was Alejandrina Benítez de Gautier, whose "Aguinaldo Puertorriqueño," published in 1843, gave her the recognition of being one of the island's great poets. Alejandrina's son José Gautier Benítez is considered by many to be Puerto Rico's greatest Romantic-era poet. Lola Rodríguez de Tió wrote the lyrics to "La Borinqueña," which was used by the revolutionists in the Grito de Lares. Poets José de Diego, Virgilio Dávila, Luis Lloréns Torres, Nemesio Canales, Francisco Matos Paoli, Juan Antonio Corretjer, Clemente Soto Vélez and Hugo Margenat were independence advocates who wrote poems with patriotic inspired themes.

Nationalism

In 1928, Soto Vélez, along with Alfredo Margenat (father of Hugo Margenat), Pedro Carrasquillo, Graciany Miranda Archilla, Fernando González Alberti, Luis Hernández Aquino, Samuel Lugo, Juan Calderón Escobar, and Antonio Cruz Nieves founded the group "El Atalaya de los Dioses," which launched the literary movement known as "Atalayismo." The "El Grupo Atalaya" movement sought to connect the poetic/literary world with political action and most of its members, including Soto Vélez became involved with the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party. Giannina Braschi's postmodern work United States of Banana (2011) addresses the history of Puerto Rico decolonization efforts and declares the independence of Puerto Rico.

Universal lyricism

Mercedes Negrón Muñoz wrote under the name "Clara Lair" and published "Arras de Cristal" (1937), which describes the everyday struggles of the Puerto Rican. However, it was Julia de Burgos who was to be considered by many as one of the greatest poets to be born in Puerto Rico and who later lived in New York. The inspiration spurred by her love of Puerto Rico is reflected in her poem "Río Grande de Loíza". Other important lyric poets of the early twentieth century include Luis Palés Matos, Luis Lloréns Torres, and Evaristo Ribera Chevremont.

After the Spanish Civil War, poets Juan Ramón Jiménez (Nobel Laureate, 1956) and his wife Zenobia Camprubí emigrate to Puerto Rico and settle in Juan Juan in 1946. Jiménez's lyrical, philosophical poems influenced major Puerto Rican-born writers such as Giannina Braschi (Empire of Dreams, 1988), Manuel Ramos Otero (El Libro de la Muerte, 1985), and René Marqués (La Carreta, 1950).

Evaristo Ribera Chevremont's verses deal with nationality, folklore and regionalism, but also touch upon universal lyricism. Victor Hernández Cruz became the first Hispanic poet to be published by a mainstream publishing house (Random House) with the collection Snaps, in 1969.

Playwrights

External audio
audio icon You may view and listen to Act 1 - Part 1 of René Marqués' ""La Carreta"".

Among the major figures in Puerto Rican theater is René Marqués (1919-1979 ) author of The Oxcart (La Carreta), which dramatizes the hardships of a Puerto Rican family who move from the island to New York City. His prose contributions include El Puertorriqueño Dócil y Otros Ensayos. Francisco Arriví (1915–2007), a prominent voice of Puerto Rican theater, developed a dramatic style known as Areyto and authored "Bolero y plena" (1958) and Vejigantes. He helped to establish various theater festivals and the Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré (Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center) in Puerto Rico.

Luis Rafael Sánchez (1936-) wrote Pasión según Antígona Pérez (The Passion According to Antigona Perez), a tragedy based on the life of Olga Viscal Garriga.

Among the Puerto Rican experimental theater writers is Giannina Braschi whose dramatic dialogues celebrate Puerto Rican artistic expression and acknowledge the works of her compatriots Luis Palés Matos, Nilita Vientos, Luis Pales Matos, Pedro Pietri, and Julia de Burgos. Braschi's work United States of Banana, which features Hamlet, Zarathustra and Hamlet on a mission to liberate Puerto Rico, was staged at the Shapiro Theater in New York City (2015).

Emerging Puerto Rican playwrights include Aravind Enrique Adyanthaya, founder of Casa Cruz de la Luna in San Germán, Puerto Rico. Also notable in this category is playwright and screenwriter José Rivera, the first Puerto Rican screenwriter to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Stateside playwrights of Puerto Rican ancestry include Lin-Manual Miranda, who won a Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Awards for the Broadway musical Hamilton. Miranda, whose parents are Puerto Rican, co-created In the Heights with Quiara Alegría Hudes, whose mother is Puerto Rican.

Journalists

A variety of journalists and columnists further enrich Puerto Rican letters.

Nelson Antonio Denis published more than 300 editorials in El Diario La Prensa about the New York/Puerto Rican diaspora, which were recognized with repeated "Best Editorial Writing" awards from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Denis's history book War Against All Puerto Ricans, about the evolution of US-Puerto Rico relations since 1898, was the best-selling book in Puerto Rico in 2015 and 2016.

José Luis González (1926-1996) whose work País de cuatro pisos y otros ensayos describes the rigid structures of island society.

David Gonzalez is a journalist at the New York Times. Over a 25-year career, Gonzalez has written hundreds of stories in the New York Times which deal with the history, culture, politics and people of Puerto Rico. In 2013, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists inducted Gonzalez into its Hall of Fame, in recognition of his lifetime of committed and compassionate journalism.

Gerson Borrero is a journalist, radio host, and TV commentator in New York City. He has been editor-at-large of City & State NY and editor-in-chief of El Diario/La Prensa, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in New York City. His press coverage has ranged from New York City politics, cultural reviews and personality profiles, to the Somos Uno Conference and the Puerto Rican Day Parade.

Historians

Historians such as Dr. Delma S. Arrigoitia have written books and documented the contributions that Puerto Rican women have made to society. Arrigoitia was the first person in the University of Puerto Rico to earn a master's degree in the field of history. Her publications, which cover Puerto Rico's early-20th-century politicians, include: Jose De Diego el legislador, San Juan, Eduardo Giorgetti Y Su Mundo: La Aparente Paradoja De Un Millonario Genio Empresarial Y Su Noble Humanismo;, Puerto Rico Por Encima de Todo: Vida y Obra de Antonio R. Barcelo, 1868-1938; and Introduccion a la Historia de la Moda en Puerto Rico.

Teresita A. Levy's Puerto Ricans in the Empire: The History of Tobacco Cultivation in Puerto Rico, 1898-1940, a study of the tobacco-growing regions in the eastern and western highlands of Puerto Rico, is the first book to tell how Puerto Ricans challenged United States officials and fought successfully for legislation that benefited the island. Her book has been praised by scholars. Puerto Ricans in the Empire provides an excellent introduction to Puerto Rico's crucial tobacco industry, with fascinating material on farmer organizations and agricultural research." —Herbert S. Klein, Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History Columbia University

Modern and contemporary Puerto Rican literature

After a nationalist tradition of Puerto Rican writers from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, authors are catalogued by decade into "generations." Some highly representative writers from the early and mid-20th century were: Juan Antonio Corretjer, Luis Lloréns Torres, Palés Matos, Enrique Laguerre, and Francisco Matos Paoli. These Puerto Rican writers wrote in Spanish and reflected a literary Latin American tradition, and offered a variety of universal and social themes. Major writers who got their start in the 1950s include José Luis González, René Marqués, Pedro Juan Soto, and Emilio Díaz Valcárcel.

Authors whose careers began in the 1960s and 1970s include Jack Agüeros, Angelamaría Dávila, Lourdes Vázquez, Rosario Ferré, Luis Rafael Sánchez, Manuel Ramos Otero, Olga Nolla, Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá, Myrna Casas, and Luis López Nieves. Major writers of the 1980s and 1990s include Ana Lydia Vega, Giannina Braschi, Martín Espada, Mayra Santos-Febres, Luz María Umpierre, and Eduardo Lalo.

Breakthrough voices of a new Puerto Rican literature began to emerge at the turn of the new century with the publication of Pedro Cabiya's Historias tremendas in 1999. Identity politics and the complexities of Puerto Rico's relationship with the U.S. — topics that had dominated the work of previous writers — gave way to the exploration of new genres and themes, such as Latinx speculative fiction, horror, fantasy, and noir, as seen in the short stories, novels, and comics by Pedro Cabiya, the experimentation by Bruno Soreno, and the short stories by José Liboy and Luis Negrón (whose Mundo Cruel won a Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction, 2014).

Emerging voices on the island include Rafael Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, Janette Becerra, Ricardo A. Domínguez, Ana María Fuster Lavín, Zoé Jiménez Corretjer, Juan López Bauzá, Alberto Martínez Márquez, Luis Negrón, Maribel Ortiz, Max Resto, and José E. Santos. Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, Ángel Lozada, Benito Pastoriza Iyodo, Alfredo Villanueva Collado write and publish their works in Spanish on the mainland USA. Puerto Rican authors who write in English include Erika Lopez, Ivelisse Rodriguez, Lilliam Rivera, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Jaquira Díaz, Richie Narvaez, and Ernesto Quiñonez.

Anthologies

Anthologies that focus on Puerto Rican writers include:

  • Aftershocks of Disaster: Puerto Rico Before and After the Storm, edited by Yarimar Bonilla and Marisol LeBrón (Haymarket Books, 2019)
  • Boricua en la Luna, edited by Elena M. Aponte
  • Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings, edited by Roberto Santiago (Ballantine Books, 1995)
  • Borinquen: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Literature, edited by Maria Teresa Babin and Stan Steiner (Knopf, 1974)
  • Breaking Ground/Abriendo Caminos: Anthology of Puerto Rican Women Writers in New York, 1980-2012, edited by Myrna Nieves
  • Growing Up Puerto Rican, edited by Joy L. De Jesús (William Morrow and Company, 1997)
  • Literatura y narrativa puertorriqueña: La escritura entre siglos, edited by Mario Cancel
  • Literatura puertorriqueña del siglo XX: Antología, edited by Mercedes López Baralt
  • Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora, edited by David Caleb Acevedo, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, which focuses on LGBT themes
  • Nuestro New York: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Plays, edited by John V. Antush (SIgnet, 1994)
  • ¡Pa'que Tu Lo Sepas! edited by Angel Luis Colón
  • Puerto Rico en Mi Corazón, edited by Raquel Salas Rivera, Ricardo Maldonado, Carina del Valle Schorske (Anomalous Press, 2019)
  • Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times, edited by Robert Márquez
  • Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the U.S.A., edited by Faythe Turner (Open Hand, 1991)
  • San Juan Noir, edited by Mayra Santos-Febres (Akashic Noir, 2016

See also

References

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  46. Acevedo, David Caleb, Moisés Agosto, and Luis Negrón, eds. Los otros cuerpos: Antología de temática gay, lésbica y queer desde Puerto Rico y su diáspora. San Juan: Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 2007. ISBN 0-9773612-8-4
  47. Márquez, Robert, ed. Puerto Rican Poetry: A Selection from Aboriginal to Contemporary Times. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2007. ISBN 1-55849-561-4

Further reading

  • Aldama, Frederick Luis and Ilan Stavans. Poets, Philosophers, Lovers: On The Writings of Giannina Braschi. University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020. ISBN 9780822946182
  • Brahan, Persephone. From Amazons to Zombies: Monsters in Latin America (Bucknell Studies in Latin American Literature and Theory). Bucknell University Press (November 19, 2015). ISBN 9781611487060
  • Caulfield, Carlota. "US Latina Caribbean Women Poets." In Carlota Caulfield and Darién Davis, Jr., eds., A Companion to US Latino Literatures. Woodbridge: Tamesis, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85566-139-4
  • Gordis, Yanis. "Island and Continental Puerto Rican Literature: Cross-Cultural and Intertextual Considerations". Special Section: Multicultural Literature, Part IV. In ADE Bulletin 91 (Winter 1988). One of five articles about Puerto Rican literature.
  • Loustau, Laura R. Cuerpos errantes: literatura latina y latinoamericana en Estados Unidos. Rosario, Argentina: Beatriz Viterbo Editora, 2002. ISBN 950-845-118-1
  • Moreira, Rubén A., ed. Antología de Poesía Puertorriqueña. (Vol. 1: Romanticismo, Vol. 2 Modernismo y Post Modernismo, Vol. 3 Contemporánea, Vol.4 Contemporánea). San Juan, P.R.: Tríptico Editores, 1992-1993.
  • Pausides, Alex, Pedro Antonio Valdez, and Carlos Roberto Gómez Beras, eds. Los nuevos caníbales: Antología de la más reciente poesía del Caribe hispano. San Juan: Isla Negra Editores, 2003. ISBN 1-932271-06-6
  • Rivera, Carmen Haydée. Diasporic Journeys: Interviews with Puerto Rican Writers in the United States. New York: CENTRO Press, 2023. ISBN 979-8396590083
  • Rosado, José Ángel, ed. El rostro y la máscara: Antología alterna de cuentistas puertorriqueños contemporáneos. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Isla Negra Editores, 1995.
  • Torres-Padilla, Jose L. and Carmen Haydee Rivera. Writing Off the Hyphen: New Critical Perspectives on the Literature of the Puerto Rican Diaspora. Seattle: U. of Washington Press, 2008. ISBN 9780295988139
  • van Haesendonck, Kristian. "Enchantment or Fright? Identity and Postmodern Writing in Contemporary Puerto Rico." In Theo D'Haen and Pieter Vemeulen, eds., Cultural Identity and Postmodern Writing. New York and Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006. ISBN 978-90-420-2118-1

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