Carlos Pellicer
Carlos Pellicer was a prominent Mexican poet, born on November 4, 1899, in Tabasco, Mexico. His early life was shaped by the turmoil of the Mexican Revolution, which forced his family to relocate frequently. Pellicer began publishing poetry while still a student, and his engagement in political activism led to a close relationship with Mexico's first minister of education, José Vasconcelos. Throughout his life, he published numerous poetry collections and became a significant figure in Mexican literature, known for his vivid use of imagery inspired by his native land and for exploring pre-Columbian themes. His literary career flourished in the 1920s and 1930s, during which he traveled extensively in Europe and Latin America. Pellicer's political disillusionment following his imprisonment in 1930 shifted his focus to education, where he taught for many years before becoming a university professor. He later directed an archaeological museum in Tabasco, contributing to the preservation of Mexico's cultural heritage. Pellicer's legacy includes twenty-three published works and recognition from esteemed literary institutions, showcasing his profound impact on Mexican poetry and culture.
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Carlos Pellicer
Poet
- Born: January 16, 1897
- Birthplace: Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico
- Died: February 16, 1977
- Place of death: Mexico
Biography
Carlos Pellicer was born Carlos Pellicer Cámara on November 4, 1899, to Don Carlos Pellicer Marchena and Deifilia Cámara de Pellicer in Tabasco, Mexico. The Mexican Revolution began in 1910 and Pellicer’s family was forced to move many times during this period of unrest. Pellicer attended the Escuela National Preparatoria. While still a student, he published his first poems in a magazine called Gladios.
In 1920, Pellicer traveled to Venezuela as a member of the Mexican Student Federation in order to urge young Venezuelans to take an active role against their dictator. His stance earned him a position as the secretary to Mexico’s first minister of education, José Vasconcelos. The two men were utterly opposed to dictatorships and held similar views regarding the future of Latin America. During this period, Pellicer published his first book of poetry, Colores en le mar y otros poemas in 1921. For this work, Pellicer drew on the imagery of his native tropical Tabasco.
While traveling throughout South America in 1922, Pellicer developed friendships with a number of important writers including Pablo Neruda and José Ingenieros. Although he studied engineering when he returned to Mexico in 1923, he continued to write poetry. The books published during this period achieved critical notice and attention; Pellicer quickly became a leading figure in Mexican letters.
Through the help of his friend Ingenieros, Pellicer traveled to Europe for the first time in 1925. For the next four years, he traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, publishing several books while abroad. When Pellicer returned to Mexico in 1929, he again became deeply involved in politics, working for the election of his friend and mentor Vasconcelos to the presidency. In addition, he was associated with a group of poets called the Contemporáneos and with them founded a journal by the same name.
Unexpectedly, in early 1930, Pellicer was imprisoned and tortured by order of the sitting president, Pascual Ortiz Rubio. This experience soured Pellicer on governmental service and politics. He subsequently spent 1931 through 1948 as a high school teacher before becoming a professor at the Autonomous National University. During these years he published six books of poetry. In 1950, Pellicer became the director of an archeological museum in Tabasco that now bears his name. He served as museum director until his death on February 16, 1977.
Pellicer’s poetry earned both respect and honor from his peers. He was elected to membership in the Mexican Academy of the Language in 1953, and he won the National Prize for Literature in 1964. A bust in his likeness has been on display in Mexico City since 1987.
In all, Pellicer published twenty-three books of poetry and museum-related material. His greatest achievement as a poet includes his use of the tropical colors and sounds of his native Tabasco. In addition, he studied and used pre-Columbian myth in his poetry. His attention to the indigenous culture of Mexico artistically helped to recover this past for his contemporaries.