Amarilis (poet) facts for kids

Amarilis was a mysterious poet from Peru. She lived in the early 1600s. We know about her from just one long poem. It is called Amarilis a Belardo. This means Amarilis to Belardo.

The poem was written to a famous Spanish writer named Lope de Vega. He published it in his book, La Filomena, in 1621. This book included Amarilis' poem and Lope de Vega's reply. Amarilis a Belardo is a long poem. It shows Amarilis felt alone because of her life as a nun. She also felt frustrated being in Peru instead of Spain. No one knows for sure who Amarilis was. Some people even wonder if she was a real person. But most believe she was a woman.

Who Was Amarilis?

Amarilis wrote her poem in 1619. We do not know when she was born. She wrote her poem as a young woman. She probably lived in a convent as a nun. This was likely in Huánuco or Lima, Peru.

In his book, Lope de Vega said Amarilis was a Criolla. This means she was born in the Americas. But her family was from Spain.

We learn more about her life only from her poem. Amarilis said her family was close to Francisco Pizarro. He was a famous Spanish explorer. Amarilis became an orphan when she was very young. She and her younger sister, Belisa, then lived with their aunt. Amarilis said both sisters were very talented. They were close. Her sister, Belisa, became famous. She married a "fortunate young man."

Amarilis was not married when she wrote the poem. She told Lope de Vega she was beautiful enough to marry well. But she felt called to become a nun. This was because of "the sweet muses," or inspiration. Anything else about Amarilis' life is just a guess.

Many women have been suggested as Amarilis over the years. But no one theory is proven. Some historians think she was Doña Marta de Nevares Santoyo. She was a Spanish woman Lope de Vega knew. Others think she might have been Isabel de Figueroa, María de Alvarado, or María Tello de Lara y de Arévalo y Espinosa. Some experts, like Ricardo Palma from Peru, do not think Amarilis was a woman. Others even believe she was not a real person at all.

According to American historian Irving Leonard, Amarilis was probably not another writer. In her time, women writers were rare in Spain. They were even rarer in places like Peru. It is more likely Amarilis learned about Lope de Vega's plays. She probably saw them at local theaters. These theaters were very common in Lima back then.

The Poem: Amarilis a Belardo

What the Poem is About

Amarilis a Belardo is a long poem. In it, Amarilis shares her feelings for Lope de Vega. She also asks him to write about Saint Dorothy. Saint Dorothy was her patron saint. Amarilis also encouraged de Vega to focus on his spiritual duties. Lope de Vega wrote back to her a year later. In his reply, he said he loved the unknown writer.

How the Poem is Written

The poem has 19 sections called stanzas. Each stanza is different. It is written in a style called canzone form. This is an Italian poetry style. Canzone poems usually have stanzas with 10 to 12 syllables per line. They do not have a repeating part. But Amarilis' poem has about 18 lines in each stanza.

Amarilis did not use just one rhyme pattern. But she made sure lines within each stanza rhymed. For example, one part of a stanza might have an ABCA rhyme. Another part might have two rhyming lines, called a couplet. Amarilis knew a lot about Italian poetry. She also used her knowledge of Latin poets, like Virgil, to write her work.

The Deeper Meaning

Some might think this poem is just a "fan letter." But its amazing structure and quality make it special. Amarilis uses many complex word pictures. She describes her love for de Vega. She explains it is not about romance. It is a deeper kind of admiration.

Amarilis knew she was a woman living in a Spanish colony. She said a man in her place would not have been so brave. He would not have dared to write to a famous author like Lope de Vega. Then she wrote, "la mujer, que es fuerte, / no teme alguna vez la misma muerte" This means "a strong woman is not fearful of death itself." This shows her courage.

See also

In Spanish: Amarilis para niños