José Zorrilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Zorrilla
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| Born | José Zorrilla y Moral 21 February 1817 Valladolid, Spain |
| Died | 23 January 1893 (aged 75) Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation | Poet, playwright |
| Language | Spanish |
| Literary movement | Romanticism |
| Notable works | Don Juan Tenorio |
| Spouse | Florentina O’Reilly, Juana Pacheco |
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José Zorrilla y Moral (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse θoˈriʎa]) was a famous Spanish poet and playwright. He became known as the National Laureate, which is a special title given to a country's most important poet.
Contents
Life and Early Years
José Zorrilla was born in Valladolid, Spain, on February 21, 1817. His father was a magistrate, a type of judge, who was trusted by King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
José went to school with the Jesuits in Madrid. Even at 12 years old, he loved writing poems. He really admired writers like Walter Scott and François-René de Chateaubriand. He also enjoyed acting in school plays by famous Spanish playwrights like Lope de Vega and Pedro Calderón de la Barca.
A Rebellious Student
In 1833, José was sent to study law at the university in Toledo, Spain. But he wasn't very interested in law. After a year, he left Toledo and moved to Madrid.
In Madrid, he upset his father's friends because he gave strong speeches. He even started a newspaper that the government quickly shut down. He almost got sent far away to the Philippines, but he managed to avoid it. For a few years, he lived in poverty.
Becoming a Famous Writer
José Zorrilla became well-known after the death of a writer named Mariano José de Larra. In February 1837, José read a sad poem at Larra's funeral. This poem helped him meet important writers of the time.
Later in 1837, he published his first book of poems. Many of these poems were inspired by writers like Alphonse de Lamartine and Victor Hugo. People liked his work so much that he published six more books of poetry in just three years!
Plays and Legends
José Zorrilla also became a successful playwright. He started writing plays on his own in 1840. Over the next five years, he wrote 22 plays, and many of them were very popular.
His book Cantos del trovador (1841) was a collection of Spanish legends told in verse. This book made him one of the most popular poets in Spain, second only to José de Espronceda.
Many of his plays were based on old Spanish legends. He sometimes took older plays that were no longer popular and rewrote them. For example, his famous play Don Juan Tenorio combines ideas from an old play called Burlador de Sevilla. He thought his play Traidor, inconfeso y mártir (1845) was his best work.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1847, José Zorrilla's mother passed away, and he left Spain. He lived in France for a while, first in Bordeaux and then in Paris. In 1852, his unfinished poem Granada was published there.
Three years later, feeling sad, he moved to Mexico. He hoped that a disease would end his life. He lived in Mexico for eleven years but wrote very little during that time.
Return to Spain
José Zorrilla returned to Spain in 1866. He found that many people had forgotten him, and his writing style was considered old-fashioned. Friends helped him get a small job, but a new government minister later removed it. He was often poor, especially for 12 years after 1871. Even though his plays were still performed, he didn't earn money from them.
Finally, as he got older, critics started to appreciate his work again. He gained new fame. He received a pension, a special gold medal, and in 1889, he was given the title of National Laureate. José Zorrilla passed away in Madrid on January 23, 1893.
Writing Style
In his younger years, Zorrilla was known for writing very quickly. He once said he wrote a play in three weeks and another in just two days! This fast writing might explain why some of his works have small flaws, like repeating ideas or using too many words.
His plays often celebrated Spanish pride. Actors and audiences loved his exciting and dramatic stories. His most famous play is Don Juan Tenorio.
Images for kids
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José Zorrilla's signature
See also
In Spanish: José Zorrilla para niños
