Claudio Rodríguez
Claudio Rodríguez was a notable Spanish poet born on January 30, 1934, in Zamora, Spain, and is recognized as a key figure in the Generation of the 1950s. His early interest in poetry ignited after the death of his father, leading him to explore European literature, particularly the works of Arthur Rimbaud. Rodríguez gained significant recognition with his first poetry collection, "Don de ebriedad," published in 1953, which earned him the Adonais Prize for Poetry and highlighted his command of form, often utilizing the classical hendecasyllabic rhythm. Throughout his career, he published several acclaimed works, including "Conjuros" and later compilations such as "Poesía, 1953-1966."
Rodríguez's poetry, noted for its exploration of modern man's plight and philosophical introspection, garnered him prestigious awards, including the Premio Nacional de Poesía and the Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Letras. He spent significant time teaching at universities in England before returning to full-time writing and lecturing in Madrid. Claudio Rodríguez passed away from colon cancer on July 22, 1999, leaving behind a legacy celebrated for its emotional depth and technical skill in poetry.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Claudio Rodríguez
Poet
- Born: January 30, 1934
- Birthplace: Zamora, Spain
- Died: July 22, 1999
- Place of death: Madrid, Spain
Biography
Part of the group of Spanish poets known as the Generation of the 1950’s, Claudio Rodríguez was born on January 30, 1934, in Zamora, Spain. He was the eldest of four children of Maria Garcia (Moralejo) de Rodríguez and Claudio Rodríguez Diego, and attended the Instituto Claudio Moyano in Zamora. He was not encouraged in literary studies at the institute; however, after his father died, Rodríguez (then thirteen years old) became interested in poetry, in particular the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, when he discovered several works of European literature in his father’s library.
His first volume of poetry, Don de ebriedad (the gift of intoxication, 1953), won critical acclaim and the Adonais Prize for Poetry. Through this prize Rodríguez also came to know the poet Vicente Aleixandre, who became a lifelong friend. In this first collection, Rodríguez highlighted his technical mastery by writing most of the poems in hendecasyllabic rhythm, frequently used in classical poetry but not in modern. Rodríguez received an M.A. from Universidad Central in 1957 and published his second volume, Conjuros (incantations), in the year following. He married Clara Miranda in 1959, after having known her for six years.
From 1958 to 1960, Rodríguez taught at the University of Nottingham in Nottingham, England, and then at Cambridge University until 1964. He then began writing full-time, only publishing other collections when he and Clara had returned to Madrid, Spain. However, his writing began to slow again as he began university lecturing in Madrid. In 1971, his first three volumes were collected as Poesía, 1953-1966. Other retrospective collections include Desde mis poemas (from my poems, 1983) and Poesías escogidas (selected poetry, 1992). According to one critic, the poetry of Rodríguez conveys both “a deep pity for modern man” and the poet’s personal philosophical melancholy.
Throughout his career, Rodríguez consistently received Spain’s most prestigious literary awards, including the Premio Nacional de Poesía (October 31, 1983), the Premio Castilla y León de Letras (1987), and the Premio Príncipe deo Asturias de las Letras (May 27, 1993). He died of colon cancer in Madrid, Spain, on July 22, 1999, at the age of sixty-five.