Literature in Cuba

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Literature in Cuba began to find its voice in the early 19th century. Dominant themes of independence and freedom were exemplified by José Martí, who led the Modernist movement in Latin American literature. Writers such as the poet Nicolás Guillén focused on literature as social protest. Others like José Lezama Lima and Alejo Carpentier dealt with more personal or universal issues. And a few more, like Reinaldo Arenas and Guillermo Cabrera Infante, earned international recognition in the postrevolutionary era.

Most recently, there has been a so-called Cuban "boom" among authors who were born during the 50s and 60s. Many writers of this younger generation have felt compelled to continue their work in exile due to perceived censorship by the Cuban authorities. Many of them fled abroad during the 1990s. Some well-known names are Daína Chaviano (USA), Zoé Valdés (France), Eliseo Alberto (Mexico), Leonardo Padura (Cuba) and Abilio Estévez (Spain).

[edit] Cuban poets and writers

[edit] List of Cuban poetry, and poets, authors, and literature

  • de Balboa y Troya de Quesada, Silvestre (1563-1649) 1608 Espejo de Paciencia. [1]. First known Cuban narrative poem deals with the killing of an attacking pirate by the people of Bayamo
  • Gómez de Avellaneda, Gertrudis (1814-1873) Her large body of excellent work includes the anti-slavery novel "Dos mugeres" (1842) and the play "Baltasar" (1858) [2]
  • Lazo, Rodrigo 2005 Writing to Cuba Filibustering and Cuban Exiles in the United States. University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 0-8078-5594-4
  • Lecuona, Ernesto (1895-1962) First major composition, "Malaguena," Roxy Theatre in New York 1927. [3], [4].
  • Napoles Fajardo, Juan Cristobal (born 1829; believed killed by Spanish authorities in 1862) Selected work in Cucalambe (Decimas Cubanas): Seleccion De Rumores Del Hormigo. Ediciones Universal. 1999 ISBN 0-89729-878-0 An example of Siboneyista poetry, a 19th century resistance movement which expressed its, then illegal, wish to be free of Spain couched as Siboney, one of the Neo-Taíno nations poetry and narrations.
  • Simons, Moisés 1928 El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) An extremely popular song with complex poly-rhythms. The author was a Jewish immigrant to Cuba. In the Cuban vernacular to "cantar el manisero' to sing this song is to die. The "Peanut Vendor" inspired classically trained Joseph Norman Henderson, author of Cuban Pete, to change his name to Jose Norman [5] and dedicate his work to music from the island [6] [7] [8] [9]
  • Valdéz, Gabriel de la Concepción (Plácido) 1809-1844 (executed) Major, best known poem and last poem “Plegaria a Dios.” [10], [11] His poetry, was often considered subversive and anti-slavery by the Spanish authorities.
  • Villaverde, Cirilo 1882 (New translation 2005 by Sibylle Fischer and Helen Lane) Cecilia Valdes or El Angel Hill. Oxford University Press, USA ISBN 0-19-514395-7 Deals with sexual mores and the traditions of mistresses during the Spanish colonial period, with many historic details, including the execution of Narciso Lopez. The author was first condemned to death for conspiring for independence against Spain [12]; after his sentence was commuted to ten years he escaped [13].


[edit] Samples of famous Cuban poetry and literature

  • Arenas, Reinaldo 1943-1990 openly gay poet, novelist and playwright. He was the winner of major prizes from UNEAC (The Union of Cuban Writers and Artists) in 1965 and 1966. While originally sympathetic to the 1959 revolution, his works demonstrate his growing criticism of the revolution’s repression of homosexuals and artists. His five volume work, the Pentagonia is subtitled a "secret history" of post-revolutionary Cuba. [14]
  • de Balboa y Troya de Quesada, Silvestre (1563-1649) 1608 Espejo de Paciencia. [15]. First known Cuban narrative poem deals with the killing of an attacking pirate by the people of Bayamo
  • Cabrera, Lydia. Anaforuana: ritual y símbolos de la iniciación en la sociedad secreta Abakuá. Madrid, Ediciones C.R., 1975. Her many works reflect the Black experience in Cuba [16].
  • Díaz, Jesus (1941-2002) was a prominent Cuban writer, filmmaker, and intellectual. His novels include Las cuatro fugas de Manuel, Dime algo sobre Cuba, and Las palabras perdidas. He wrote screenplays and directed movies, including Lejanía and Polvo rojo. Díaz was the founder of the influential cultural magazine Encuentro, which publishes the work of Cuban writers on the island and in exile. Many consider his novel The Initials of the Earth to be the quintessential novel of the Cuban Revolution. [17]
  • Gómez de Avellaneda, Gertrudis (1814-1873) Her large body of excellent work includes the anti-slavery novel Sab (1842) and the play Baltasar (1858) [18]
  • Valdéz, Gabriel de la Concepción (Plácido) 1809-1844 (executed) Major, best known poem and last poem Plegaria a Dios. [19], [20] His poetry, was often considered subversive and anti-slavery by the Spanish authorities
  • Villaverde, Cirilo 1882 (New translation 2005 by Sibylle Fischer and Helen Lane) Cecilia Valdes or El Angel Hill. Oxford University Press, USA ISBN 0-19-514395-7 Deals with sexual mores and the traditions of mistresses during the Spanish colonial period, with many historic details, including the execution of Narciso Lopez. The author was first condemned to death for conspiring for independence against Spain [21]; after his sentence was commuted to ten years he escaped [22].
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