Faustina Sáez de Melgar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Faustina Sáez de Melgar
Born	Faustina Sáez y Soria (1834-02-15)15 February 1834 Villamanrique de Tajo, Spain
Died	19 March 1895(1895-03-19) (aged 61) Madrid, Spain
Occupation	Writer, journalist
Spouse	Valentín Melgar y Chicharro
Children	Gloria Melgar Sáez [es]

Faustina Sáez de Melgar (born Faustina Sáez y Soria, 1834–1895) was a Spanish writer and journalist. She was also the mother of Gloria Melgar Sáez, who became a composer and painter.

About Faustina Sáez de Melgar

Faustina Sáez y Soria started writing stories and poems when she was just nine years old. Even though her father didn't want her to write, she kept going. At seventeen, she published her first poem in a magazine called El Correo de la Moda. A year later, she was writing regularly for this and other magazines like Álbum de Señoritas and Ellas.

She married Valentín Melgar y Chicharro, a government official. He worked in different places in Spain and in Spanish territories like the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The couple moved to Madrid. In 1859, her daughter Gloria was born. That same year, Faustina published her poetry book La lira del Tajo y África y España. The poems were about the recent war in Morocco.

In 1860, she had her first big success with the novel La pastora del Guadiela. This book made her famous. She then started publishing many long stories and writing for lots of newspapers and magazines. Some of these included El Trono y la Nobleza, La Iberia, La Mujer, and El Museo Universal. She even started and managed her own magazines, such as La Violeta (in Madrid), La Canastilla Infantil, and Paris Charmant Artistique (in Paris). In 1873, her daughter Virginia was born. In 1880, Faustina moved to Paris.

Faustina's Social Work and Beliefs

Faustina was very active in the culture of her time. She cared about many social issues. She joined the Committee of Ladies of the Spanish Abolitionist Society [es]. This group worked to end slavery. She was also the president of the Artistic and Literary Athenaeum of Ladies in 1869. She was an honorary vice-president for the Women's Section at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.

Faustina strongly supported ending slavery. She also supported a type of feminism called feminismo de la diferencia. This idea was about getting more education for women. The main goal was for women to have enough knowledge to talk with their husbands. People at the time thought this would help prevent marriages from breaking up.

Faustina's Published Works

Faustina Sáez de Melgar wrote many different types of works.

As a Publicist

Faustina Sáez de Melgar started and managed several magazines.

• La Violeta (1862–1866): This magazine was so important that Queen Isabella II ordered all teacher training schools and girls' schools to subscribe to it.
• She also directed La Mujer, La Canastilla Infantil, and Paris Charmant Artistique (a French magazine).

Translations by Faustina

She translated many books from other languages into Spanish.

• Los dramas de la bolsa (1884), by Pierre Zaccone
• Los vecinos (1883), by Fredrika Bremer
• La sociedad y sus costumbres (1883), by Madame de Watteville
• Flores y perlas (1889), which included her translations of poems by Carmen Sylva, who was the Queen of Romania.

Poetry Books

• La lira del Tajo (1859)

Narrative Stories and Novels

Faustina wrote many novels and stories.

• La pastora de Guadiela (1860)
• La marquesa de Pinares (1861), a follow-up to La pastora de Guadiela.
• Los miserables de España o Secretos de la Corte (1862–63), in two parts.
• Matilde o El ángel de Val de Real (1862)
• La higuera de Villaverde. Leyenda tradicional (1860). This book included her first biography.
• Ecos de la gloria. Leyendas históricas (1863)
• Ángela o El ramillete de jazmines (1865-1866), in three parts.
• Adriana o La quinta de Peralta (1866)
• La loca del encinar (1867)
• Amar después de la muerte (1867). This was the second part of Adriana o La quinta de Peralta.
• La cruz del olivar (1868)
• "María la cuarterona o La esclavitud en las Antillas" (1868). This story appeared in a newspaper.
• Rosa, la cigarrera de Madrid (1872 and 1878), in two parts.
• "El hogar sin fuego" (1876). This story was also very popular when translated into Italian.
• La abuelita (1877). These were stories published under the name "Cuentos de aldea" (Village Stories).
• Inés, o La hija de la caridad (1878), in two parts.
• Sendas opuestas (1878). It also included another story by her, La bendición paterna.
• El collar de esmeraldas (1879).
• El deber cumplido (1879). This book also included her earlier novel, La loca del encinar.
• Aurora y felicidad (1881). This was a novel about manners and society.
• Fulvia o Los primeros cristianos (1889). A historical novel.
• El trovador del Turia (Memorias de una religiosa) (1890). This edition also reprinted El hogar sin fuego and La bendición paterna.
• Alfonso el Católico (no date given).

Plays for Theater

• Contra indiferencia, celos (1875), a funny play.
• La cadena rota (1879). This was a play in verse about ending slavery.

Articles and Essays

• "Deberes de la mujer" (1866) (Duties of Women)
• "Un libro para mis hijas. Educación cristiana y social de la mujer" (1877) (A Book for My Daughters. Christian and Social Education for Women)
• "Epistolario manual para señoritas" (1877) (Letter Writing Manual for Young Ladies)

Anthologies and Collections

These are collections of writings, often for educational purposes.

• Páginas para las niñas (1881). This book was officially used in Spanish schools by royal order.
• La semana de los niños (1882). This book contained "instructional readings for children."
• Romances históricos y lecturas amenas para los niños de ambos sexos en las escuelas y las señoritas adolescentes (1888). This book had historical poems and fun readings for children and young ladies.
• Las españolas, Americanas y Lusitanas pintadas por sí mismas (1886)

See also

In Spanish: Faustina Sáez de Melgar para niños