José Cadalso facts for kids
José de Cadalso y Vázquez (born in Cádiz, Spain in 1741 – died in Gibraltar in 1782) was a famous Spanish writer. He was also a Colonel in the Royal Spanish Army. José Cadalso was a poet, a playwright (someone who writes plays), and an essayist (someone who writes essays). He is known as one of the most important writers of the Spanish Enlightenment literature.
Before he turned 20, Cadalso traveled a lot. He visited Italy, Germany, England, France, and Portugal. During his travels, he learned about the history and literature of these countries. When he returned to Spain, he joined the army and eventually became a colonel.
José Cadalso was seen as a perfect example of the Enlightenment ideal. This ideal was called the "hombre de bien," meaning a "good man" or a "man of virtue." This person was learned, well-rounded, and used their many interests to help improve society. Cadalso was a very important person in Spanish literature during the 1700s. He was especially known for the literary gatherings, called tertulias, held at the Fonda de San Sebastián. He influenced many Spanish writers, including a talented young writer named Juan Meléndez Valdés.
Contents
Cadalso's Published Works
José Cadalso wrote many different types of works. His first published work was a sad play called Don Sancho García, Conde de Castilla (1771).
Satire and Poetry
In 1772, he published Los Eruditos a la Violeta. This was a very popular book. It was a satire, which means it made fun of people who pretended to be smart but only had superficial knowledge. In 1773, he released a collection of poems called Ocios de mi juventud (Leisure of my Youth).
His Most Famous Books
Cadalso is best known for his book Cartas marruecas (Moroccan Letters). This book was published after he died, first in a newspaper in 1789, and then as a book in 1793. Cartas marruecas is an epistolary novel. This means it is told through letters. People often compare it to Lettres Persanes (Persian Letters) by Montesquieu. Both books showed how interested people were in stories told through letters during that time.
Cartas marruecas and Noches lúgubres (Lugubrious Nights) are often thought of as his best works. However, they are very different in style and theme.
Cartas Marruecas
Cartas marruecas is a thoughtful book that looks at Spanish society from different viewpoints. It tells the story through the eyes of a young Moroccan visitor. It is a very logical and reasonable book.
Noches Lúgubres
Noches lúgubres is a short story written in prose. It is about a main character who is grieving deeply. He wants to dig up his dead loved one. This work was published in a journal called El correo de Madrid from 1789 to 1790. Cadalso wrote this story after his close friend, the actress María Ignacia Ibáñez, passed away in 1771.
This work, along with some of Cadalso's other sad poems, is seen as an early example of Romanticism in Spain. Romanticism was a movement that focused on strong emotions and individualism. A good collection of his works was published in Madrid in 1823. More of his unpublished works were released in Paris in 1894.
Cadalso's Death
José Cadalso was killed during the Great Siege of Gibraltar. This happened on February 27, 1782. He had just been promoted to Colonel only 15 days before he died. His tomb is in Saint Mary the Crowned Church in San Roque.
See also
In Spanish: José Cadalso para niños
