Gonzalo Torrente Ballester: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:42, 16 November 2005

Latest revision as of 16:43, 4 June 2025

(120 intermediate revisions by 86 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Spanish Galician writer}}

''' Gonzalo Torrente Ballester''' ([[June 13]], [[1910]] - [[January 27]], [[1999]]) was a [[Spain|Spanish]] writer. He was born in [[Ferrol]] and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of [[Santiago de Compostela]] and [[Oviedo]]. Although primarily a [[novel]]ist, he also published journalism, essays, and plays. His career as a writer began in [[Oviedo]], but developed largely in [[Madrid]]. After moving around frequently in the later [[1920s]] and early [[1930s]], including a period in [[Paris]], he returned to [[Spain]] and linked himself to [[Francisco Franco|Franco]]'s [[Falange]] party in order to save his own life and that of his family. His first novel, ''Javier Mariño'', appeared in [[1943]], and he continued to publish novels almost until his death, receiving major prizes for some of them.

{{expand Spanish|topic=bio|date=June 2018}}

{{family name hatnote|Torrente|Ballester|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->

| name = Gonzalo Torrente Ballester

| image = Gonzalo Torrente Ballester 1.jpg

| caption = Photograph by Elisa Cabot (1982)

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1910|6|13}}

| birth_place = [[Ferrol, Spain|Ferrol]] ([[Province of A Coruña|A Coruña]]), Spain

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1999|1|27|1910|6|13}}

| death_place = [[Salamanca]], Spain

| resting_place =

| pseudonym =

| occupation = Writer, novelist

| nationality = Spanish

| notableworks = ''[[Los gozos y las sombras]]''<br />''[[Don Juan (novel)|Don Juan]]''

| spouse =

| children =

| relatives =

| signature =

| module = {{Infobox officeholder

| embed = yes

| office = Seat ''E'' of the [[Real Academia Española]]

| term_start = 27 May 1977

| term_end = 27 January 1999

| predecessor = [[Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena, 2nd Marquis of Luca de Tena|Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena]]

| successor = [[Carmen Iglesias]]

}}

}}

'''Gonzalo Torrente Ballester''' (13 June 1910 – 27 January 1999) was a Spanish writer associated with the [[Generation of '36]] movement.

Despite his affiliation to the Falangists, Torrente Ballester always promoted relatively leftist ideas, and from [[1939]], when he returned to Santiago to take up a university post, he increasingly distanced himself from the party. He joined in protests in favour of striking [[Asturia]]n miners in [[1962]], and was expelled from his teaching post at the university as a result. In the mid-[[1960s]] he had a number of problems with government censors. He left Spain for a post at the [[State University of New York at Albany]] in [[1966]], and remained there until [[1970]]. After his return to [[Spain]], he was increasingly celebrated, and was awarded the premier Spanish literary prize, the '''Cervantes prize''', in [[1985]].

==Life==

Immediately after his death a foundation was set up to protect, study and disseminate his work. The name of this foundation is [[Fundación Gonzalo Torrente Ballester]] and counts among its supporters the [[Royal House of Spain]].

He was born in [[Serantes]], [[Ferrol, Spain|Ferrol]], [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]], and received his first education there, subsequently attending the universities of [[University of Santiago de Compostela|Santiago de Compostela]] and [[Oviedo]].

Although primarily a [[novelist]], he also published journalism, essays, and plays. His career as a writer began in [[Oviedo]], but developed largely in [[Madrid]].

Before the outbreak of the [[Spanish Civil War|Spanish civil war]], he traveled to [[Paris]] with the intention of writing his [[Thesis|doctoral thesis]] and there he was surprised by the [[Coup d'état|coup d'etat]] of July 18, 1936. After hesitating, he returned to Spain in October to be with his family. From the bus that was taking him home, he saw the bodies of victims of the repression in the ditches. His father exclaimed by way of greeting: "Don't you know that many of your friends have been shot?". He followed the recommendation of a priest he trusted and joined the [[FET y de las JONS|Falange]].<ref>unearthing Franco's Legacy, p.15</ref> His first novel, ''Javier Mariño'', appeared in 1943, and he continued to publish novels almost until his death, receiving major prizes for some of them.

[[File:Inauguración escultura Torrente Ballester Víctor García de la Concha Café Novelty.jpg|thumb|325px|The Presentation of a sculpture in honour of Torrente, at the [[Café Novelty]], in [[Salamanca]] in 2000. From right to left, the director of The [[Royal Spanish Academy]], [[Víctor García de la Concha]],Torrente's widow, Fernanda, the author [[Carlos Casares (writer)|Carlos Casares]] and the sculptor {{Ill|Fernando Mayoral|es}}.]]

Despite his affiliation to the Falangists, from 1939, when he returned to Santiago to take up a university post, he increasingly distanced himself from the party.{{Citation needed|date=May 2012}} He joined in protests in favour of striking [[Asturia]]n miners in 1962, and was expelled from his teaching post at the university as a result. In the mid-1960s he had a number of problems with government censors.

He left Spain for a post at the [[University at Albany, State University of New York]] in 1966, and remained there until 1973 as the university's first distinguished professor. In 1975 he moved to the city of [[Salamanca]], where he remained until his death. After his return to [[Spain]], he was increasingly celebrated: he was elected to seat ''E'' of the [[Real Academia Española]], which he took up on 27 May 1977,<ref>{{cite web|title=Gonzalo Torrente Ballester - letra E|url=https://www.rae.es/academico/gonzalo-torrente-ballester|website=[[Real Academia Española]]|access-date=26 May 2023|language=es}}</ref> and was awarded the premier Spanish literary prize, the [[Cervantes Prize]], in 1985.

Immediately after his death, the Fundación Gonzalo Torrente Ballester was set up to protect, study and disseminate his work.

==List of novels==

{{div col}}

*Javier Mariño (1943)

* Javier Mariño (1943)
* El golpe de estado de Guadalupe Limón (1946)

* Ifigenia (1950)

* [[Los gozos y las sombras]]: El Señor llega (1957) - , Donde da la vuelta el aire (1960), La Pascua triste (1962). Novel prize of the [[Fundación Juan March]]

* [[Don Juan (novel)|Don Juan]] (1963)

*Donde da la vuelta el aire (1960)

* Off-Side (1968)

*La Pascua triste (1962)

* [[La saga/fuga de J. B.]] (1972) - Critics' Prize and City of Barcelona Prize

*Don Juan (1963)

* Fragmentos de Apocalipsis (1977)

*Off-Side (1968)

* La Saga/Fugaisla de J.B.los jacintos cortados (19721980) - Critics' Prize and City ofNational BarcelonaLiterature Prize

* Dafne y ensueños (1982)

*Fragmentos de Apocalipsis (1977)

* Quizá nos lleve el viento al infinito (1984)

*La isla de los jacintos cortados (1980) - National Literature Prize

* La princesa durmiente va a la escuela (1985)

*Dafne y ensueños (1982)

* La rosa de los vientos (1985)

*Quizá nos lleve el viento al infinito (1984)

* Yo no soy yo, evidentemente (1987)

*La princesa durmiente va a la escuela (1985)

* [[Filomeno, a mi pesar]] (1988) - [[Premio Planeta de Novela|Planeta Prize]]

*La rosa de los vientos (1985)

* [[The King Amaz'd|Crónica del rey pasmado]] (1989)

*Yo no soy yo, evidentemente (1987)

* Las islas extraordinarias (1991)

*Filomeno, a mi pesar (1988) - Planet Prize

* La muerte del decano (1992)

*Crónica del rey pasmado (1989)

* La novela de Pepe Ansúrez (1994)

*Las islas extraordinarias (1991)

* La muerteboda delde decanoChon Recalde (19921995)

* Los años indecisos (1997)

*La novela de Pepe Ansúrez (1994)

* Doménica (1999)

*La boda de Chon Recalde (1995)

{{div col end}}

*Los años indecisos (1997)

*Doménica (1999)

==Screenplays==

* ''[[Night Arrival]]'' (1949)

* ''[[Surcos]]'' (1951)

* ''[[Devil's Roundup]]'' (1952)

* ''[[Rebellion (1954 film)|Rebellion]]'' (1954)

== See also ==

* [[University of Santiago de Compostela]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

*{{Commonscatinline}}

*[http://www.gonzalotorrenteballester.com. A privately maintained site] giving biographical and bibliographical material about Torrente Ballester and a good collection of images

*[http://www.gonzalotorrenteballester.es Official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215160805/http://www.gonzalotorrenteballester.es/ |date=2009-12-15 }} giving biographical and bibliographical material about Torrente Ballester and a good collection of images.

*[http://www.ferrol-concello.es/torrenteballester.org/ Site about Torrente Ballester maintained by the El Ferrol municipality], in Spanish and Galician.

[[Category:Spanish{{Gonzalo writers|Torrente Ballester, Gonzalo]]}}

{{RAE seat uppercase E}}

[[Category:1910 births|Torrente Ballester, Gonzalo]]

{{Prince of Asturias Award for Literature}}

[[Category:1999 deaths|Torrente Ballester, Gonzalo]]

{{Miguel de Cervantes Prize}}

{{Authority control}}

[[de{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalo Torrente Ballester]], Gonzalo}}

[[Category:1910 births]]

[[es:Gonzalo Torrente Ballester]]

[[Category:1999 deaths]]

[[gl:Gonzalo Torrente Ballester]]

[[Category:People from Ferrol, Spain]]

[[pt:Gonzalo Torrente Ballester]]

[[Category:Writers from Galicia (Spain)]]

[[Category:Members of the Royal Spanish Academy]]

[[Category:Spanish people of the Spanish Civil War (National faction)]]

[[Category:Premio Cervantes winners]]

[[Category:Falangism]]

[[Category:Spanish male writers]]

[[Category:Spanish fascists]]

[[Category:Spanish theatre critics]]

[[Category:University at Albany, SUNY faculty]]

[[Category:University of Oviedo alumni]]

[[Category:Spanish writers]]