Carlos Barral
Carlos Barral was a Spanish poet, editor, and politician, born on June 2, 1928, in Barcelona, where he lived throughout his life. His early experiences were shaped by the tumultuous environment of the Spanish Civil War. Barral began writing poetry in 1942 while studying law at the University of Barcelona, from which he graduated in 1950. He became an editor at Seix Barral, a publishing house known for its bold publications during a time of censorship, and he published his first poem in 1952. His poetic work, particularly his first collection "Metropolitano" released in 1957, reflects urban themes and intricate language.
In 1970, he established his own publishing company, Barral Editores, and later gained recognition for his memoirs detailing Barcelona's sociopolitical landscape during the Franco regime. His only novel, "Penúltimos castigos," published in 1983, was described by Barral as a poem. In addition to his literary contributions, he entered politics, serving in the Spanish Senate from 1988 until his passing on December 12, 1989. Despite a limited volume of poetry and lack of major awards during his lifetime, Barral's work is undergoing re-evaluation for its intellectual depth and cultural significance.
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Carlos Barral
Author
- Born: June 2, 1928
- Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
- Died: December 12, 1989
- Place of death: Barcelona, Spain
Biography
Carlos Barral was born June 2, 1928, in Barcelona, Spain, where he lived his entire life. The Spanish Civil War and its aftermath shadowed his childhood. He often vacationed near the sea with his family in Calafell. Though he had begun writing poems in 1942, he received a degree in law from the University of Barcelona in 1950. Barral was married to Yvonne Hortet.
Barral began his professional life in 1951 as an editor for Seix Barral, a publishing house in Barcelona. This was a time of censorship in Spain, and Seix Barral published the work of many controversial American and European authors. Barral’s first published poem, “Las aguas retiradas” (secluded waters), appeared in the Journal Laye in 1952 and was later printed in the form of a booklet. In 1953, his critical essay, “Poesia no es comunicación” (poetry is not communication), was also published in Laye. In this essay, Barral argues against the delegation of communication as a function for poetry. His first book of poems, Metropolitano (metropolitan), was published in 1957. As suggested by the title, these poems have urban settings and are marked by their complex use of language and sensuality.
In 1970, Barral founded the publishing house Barral Editores. Soon after, he began publishing his memoirs, which he produced within a period of thirteen years in three volumes. These memoirs gained Barral critical acclaim for their depiction of the sociopolitical culture of Barcelona during the Francisco Franco era.
He published a travel book in 1982, Catalunya des del mar: Pel car de fora, a book noted for its preservation of a disappearing oral dialect, Catalan, a language used by sailors and fisherman. His only novel, Penúltimos castigos (penultimate punishments), was published in 1983. Barral considered the book a poem. Barral began his political career in 1988 when he was elected to the senate. He was re-elected in 1985, serving until 1988. He died December 12, 1989, from an internal hemorrhage. Although Carlos Barral wrote few volumes of poetry, received no major awards, and is most recognized for his prose memoirs, his poetry, intellectually difficult for most readers, is now being re-evaluated.