Zenobia Camprubí facts for kids
Zenobia Camprubí Aymar (born August 31, 1887 – died October 25, 1956) was a talented Spanish writer, poet, and translator. She is especially known for translating the works of the famous writer Rabindranath Tagore from India into Spanish.
Zenobia was born in Malgrat de Mar in Spain, to a mother from Puerto Rico and a father from Spain. She later lived in the United States and studied at Columbia University. During the Spanish Civil War, she wrote a diary while living in Cuba. Her brother, José Camprubí, owned a major Spanish newspaper in New York called La Prensa. Zenobia later became a professor at the University of Maryland. She passed away in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at age 69, just two days after her husband, Juan Ramón Jiménez, received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Quick facts for kids
Zenobia Camprubí
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| Born | Zenobia Salustiana Edith Camprubí y Aymar 31 August 1887 Malgrat de Mar (Barcelona), Spain |
| Died | 28 October 1956 (aged 69) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Occupation | Writer, poet, translator |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Spouse | Juan Ramón Jiménez |
| Relatives | Raimundo Camprubí Escudero and Isabel Aymar Lucca (parents) |
Contents
Zenobia's Early Life and Education
Zenobia Salustiana Edith Camprubí y Aymar was born on August 31, 1887, in Malgrat de Mar, Spain. Her family was wealthy and had roots in both Spain and Puerto Rico. Her mother, Isabel Aymar Lucca, and her grandmother had both studied in the best schools in the United States. Her father, Raimundo Camprubí Escudero, was an engineer.
Zenobia's parents married in Puerto Rico in 1879. They had four children: José, Raimundo, Zenobia, and Augusto. For the first two years of Zenobia's life, her family spent summers in Malgrat to enjoy the nice weather.
Travels and Studies
When Zenobia was nine, she traveled to the United States for the first time with her mother and older brother, José. They went so José could attend high school and prepare for Harvard University. Zenobia also had some health issues, which led her family to move to Sarriá, Spain, a year later. There, she met Maria Muntadas de Capará, who became a close friend.
In 1900, Zenobia and Maria Muntadas started a club called "Las Abejas Industriosas" (The Working Bees). Zenobia was not even thirteen yet, but she already showed a lot of energy and a knack for organizing things.
In 1901, Zenobia's father was transferred to Tarragona. Zenobia, her mother, and her younger brother Augusto traveled to Switzerland. They were looking for a treatment for Augusto's ear and eye problems.
Early Writings and Awards
In March 1901, a New York youth magazine called St. Nicholas published a short story by Zenobia titled A Narrow Escape. She also published an autobiographical work called Malgrat, inspired by her time in the coastal town.
Later, her father was transferred to Valencia. Zenobia wrote and published more literary works, including "The Garret I have known." She even won a Gold Badge from St. Nicholas Illustrated Magazine for Boys and Girls for her work "When Grandmother went to school."
In 1905, Zenobia and her mother moved to the United States and settled in Newburgh, New York. Zenobia's life in the US was very different from Spain. She traveled to Washington, Boston, and New York. She attended many social events, but she also kept reading and studying. She learned Latin, literature, music, and history. She also continued writing and preparing for her future.
In 1908, Zenobia enrolled at the Teacher's College of the University of Columbia in New York. She studied English literature and writing.
In 1909, Zenobia returned to Spain with her mother. They settled in La Rábida in Huelva, where her father was working. Zenobia set up a small school in their house and taught a group of nineteen local children. In 1910, her family moved to Madrid.
In 1911, Zenobia visited her childhood home in Malgrat for the first time since she was a child. She found it "sad and dark." Later that year, she traveled to the US again for the birth of her brother José's first daughter. This trip gave her the idea to export Spanish crafts, embroidery, and books to North America.
Back in Madrid in 1912, Zenobia continued to publish articles in American magazines. She became very involved in cultural and intellectual projects. She met Susan Huntington, who ran the Instituto Internacional de Señoritas. This institute helped foreign women and offered summer courses.
Zenobia and Juan Ramón Jiménez
In 1913, Zenobia ended a long-distance relationship with an American lawyer named Henry Shattuck. They remained friends.
Zenobia attended many talks and events. At one of these, she heard about a quiet poet named Juan Ramón Jiménez. He lived in the Residencia de Estudiantes and often complained about noise. However, he would listen closely when he heard Zenobia's laugh, even though he hadn't met her yet. Zenobia finally met Juan Ramón Jiménez in 1913 at a conference.
Working Together
In 1914, Zenobia began translating some poems from The Crescent Moon by Tagore. Juan Ramón wrote a special poem to introduce the book. Later that year, they had some disagreements. They couldn't finish Tagore's book on time, so they published a children's book called Platero y yo instead.
In December 1914, Zenobia and her mother sailed to New York. They wanted to avoid Zenobia's relationship with the poet. But Juan Ramón followed them! On February 12, 1916, he arrived in New York. Zenobia and Juan Ramón married on March 2, 1916, in a Catholic church in New York. They traveled around the United States before sailing back to Spain in June. They visited Juan Ramón's family in La Palma del Condado before settling in Madrid.
In 1917, Zenobia translated and published many more of Tagore's works. These included El Jardinero (The Gardener), El Cartero del Rey (The Post Office), Pájaros perdidos (Stray Birds), and La Cosecha (The Harvest). Juan Ramón often added a special poem to introduce these translations. They also worked together to translate other Tagore plays and poems.
Zenobia and Juan Ramón both used a simpler way of spelling Spanish words, different from the official rules.
Helping Others and New Projects
In 1918, Zenobia helped start "La Enfermera a Domicilio" (The Home Nurse) in Madrid. This group helped sick children and adults from working families. They provided food, medicine, and free visits to doctors. Zenobia also managed a small business to help with their finances. She was very good at calming her husband and helping him with his writing. She also helped them leave Spain safely when the Spanish Civil War began.
On April 6, 1920, Tagore's play El Cartero del Rey, which Zenobia had translated and adapted for the stage, was performed. Zenobia also partnered with her friend Inés Muñoz to continue exporting Spanish crafts, embroidery, ceramics, and books to America.
In October 1920, Zenobia helped found the "Committee for the Granting of Scholarships to Spanish Women Abroad." She was the secretary of this committee until 1936. She also started another business: furnishing and renting out apartments. Her American relatives and friends often asked her to find places to stay in Madrid, so she decided to do it herself.
In 1921, Juan Ramón and Zenobia moved to a new apartment. Zenobia's translations of plays like Jinetes hacia el mar (Riders to the Sea) by John M. Synge and La hermana mayor (Elder Sister) by Tagore were performed. In 1922, she traveled to Catalonia and the Balearic Islands with her friend Inés Muñoz, visiting her family and childhood friends.
Later Years in Spain
In 1924, Zenobia's father passed away. Later that year, Zenobia and Juan Ramón spent holidays in Granada, invited by Federico García Lorca and his family. They also visited Moguer and other cities in Andalucía.
In 1926, the Lyceum Club Femenino Español was founded in Madrid. This was one of the first women's associations in Spain. Zenobia became the secretary, and María de Maeztu was the president. Zenobia played a big role in the cultural scene of the time. That summer, the couple traveled through northern Spain.
In 1928, a shop called "Arte Popular Español" opened in Madrid, selling Spanish handicrafts. Zenobia also decorated the Parador Nacional Sierra de Gredos, a special hotel. In August, her mother, Isabel Aymar, passed away.
In July 1929, Zenobia and Juan Ramón traveled to Salamanca, where they met Miguel de Unamuno and Zenobia's older brother, José. Her family visited Spain for the expositions in Barcelona and Seville. In August, they traveled to Southern France.
In 1931, Zenobia discovered a tumor. She chose to have X-ray treatment instead of surgery to stop its growth. The sculptor Marga Gil Roësset created a bust of Zenobia.
By 1935, Zenobia was working as a decorator for a hotel in Calpe. She gradually stopped renting out apartments because it was no longer profitable.
Life in Exile
When the Spanish Civil War started, Juan Ramón and Zenobia helped children who had lost their parents. They welcomed twelve children, aged 4 to 8, into their apartment.
On August 22, 1936, they left Spain. Four days later, they sailed to New York. This began a long journey where they visited Cuba, the United States, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, Zenobia worked as a teacher at the University of Puerto Rico.
Life in Cuba and the US
In 1937 and 1938, Zenobia and Juan Ramón lived in Havana, Cuba. They were involved in many social and cultural activities. They also supported the Spanish Republican faction and continued to help Spanish orphan children by raising money. Zenobia volunteered in women's prisons and donated her clothes.
In January 1939, they moved to Coral Gables, Florida. After the Civil War ended, they learned that their apartment in Madrid had been robbed. Many of their books, documents, and personal items were taken.
In January 1940, Juan Ramón gave his first official lecture at the University of Miami. Zenobia read an English translation of his lecture that she had prepared. In 1942, her older brother, José Camprubí, passed away.
In 1943, Zenobia and Juan Ramón moved to Washington. In January 1944, the University of Maryland asked Zenobia to teach Spanish to soldiers. They were so impressed that they hired her as a teacher in the Department of History and European Culture.
In 1945, they moved to Riverdale Park, Maryland, because Zenobia got a permanent job. Two years later, they bought a house where both she and Juan Ramón taught classes.
In 1948, the couple traveled to Argentina and Uruguay. Their trip lasted over three months because Juan Ramón gave many lectures. They were surprised by how many people came to see them and how warmly they were welcomed.
In 1950, they traveled to Puerto Rico because Juan Ramón was having some health issues.
Health Challenges and Citizenship
In 1951, Juan Ramón had surgery for cancer in Boston. In 1954, he had another operation in Puerto Rico. Zenobia also had her own health problems. She signed a contract with the University of Puerto Rico to translate scientific brochures. She also started teaching classes at the University of Río Piedras. At the end of 1951, she had surgery for cervical cancer in Boston.
In February 1952, Zenobia recovered and returned to Puerto Rico. She continued her work at the University. On August 18, she became an American citizen, meaning she had dual citizenship (both Spanish and American).
In early 1953, her brother Augusto also suffered from cancer. He stayed with Zenobia and Juan Ramón in Puerto Rico before returning to the United States, where he passed away in March. Zenobia completed her own cancer treatment.
Zenobia's Final Years
In 1954, Zenobia stopped working at the University because of her health. An American magazine published an article by her called "Juan Ramón and I," which was about her life.
In 1956, Zenobia's cancer returned. In April, she started a new treatment that caused severe burns. In June, she flew to Boston for another operation, but doctors told her there was nothing more they could do and that she only had a few months to live.
Zenobia passed away on October 28, 1956, in Puerto Rico. This was just three days after her husband received the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Juan Ramón Jiménez lived for two more years. Today, both Zenobia and Juan Ramón are buried in Moguer, Spain.
Zenobia's Legacy
In 1955, Zenobia and Juan Ramón asked the University of Puerto Rico to create a special research room for them. This room would hold their personal library and focus on modern Hispanic literature. Today, this research room is named after Zenobia and Juan Ramón Jiménez. It has over 105,000 books and documents, including publications about the couple.
The House of Culture Zenobia and Juan Ramón was also created in Moguer, Spain, to honor them.
Images for kids
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Dedication of Juan Ramon Jiménez to Zenobia
See also
- List of Latin American writers
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature
- Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States
- Puerto Rican poetry
