Nobel Prize in Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 38 (1945) Winner
Gabriela Mistral
ガブリエラ・ミストラル（ルシラ・ゴドイ・アルカヤガ）
Gabriela Mistral (Lucila Godoy Alcayaga)
Pen Names:
Gabriela Mistral（Pseudonym used for publishing poetry and other works instead of her birth name Lucila Godoy Alcayaga）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1889-04-07 （Vicuña, Chile）
- Died
- 1957-01-10 （Hempstead, New York, United States） age 67
- Nationality
- Chile
- Languages
- Spanish
- Religion
- Secular Franciscan Order (Third Order of St. Francis)
- Residence History
- Chile (Vicuña, Montegrande, Santiago, etc.) → Mexico (1922–1924) → France and Italy (mainly 1926–1932) → United States (New York, California, etc.)
Career
- Occupations
- Educator, Diplomat, Poet, Journalist
- Active Years
- 1914-1957
- Influenced By
- Frédéric Mistral, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Theosophy and Catholic devotional influences
- Influenced
- Pablo Neruda, Many Latin American poets, especially women poets
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chile | — | Spanish (academic title) | 学術称号（Profesor de Castellano / スペイン語教授称号） | 1923 | Chile |
University of Chile
Spanish (academic title)
Degree:
学術称号（Profesor de Castellano / スペイン語教授称号）
Period:
1923
Year of Graduation:
1923
Country:
Chile
Although she had limited formal higher education, she received the academic title of Spanish Professor from the University of Chile in 1923
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | Juegos Florales (Floral Games) | Sonetos de la muerte (Sonnets of Death) | — | Literary organizers in Santiago (national contest) | winner |
| 1945 | Nobel Prize in Literature | Awarded for her lyric poetry (overall body of poetic work) | — | Swedish Academy | winner |
| 1951 | Chilean National Prize for Literature | For contributions to literature (poetry) | — | Government of Chile | winner |
Juegos Florales (Floral Games)
1914
Work:
Sonetos de la muerte (Sonnets of Death)
Organization:
Literary organizers in Santiago (national contest)
Result:
winner
Nobel Prize in Literature
1945
Work:
Awarded for her lyric poetry (overall body of poetic work)
Organization:
Swedish Academy
Result:
winner
Chilean National Prize for Literature
1951
Work:
For contributions to literature (poetry)
Organization:
Government of Chile
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
National Prize for Literature (Chile)
1 appearances
-
Edition 10 (1951) Winner
Works
Major Works
Sonetos de la muerte (Sonnets of Death)
1914 Poetry (elegy, sonnet)An early sonnet sequence centered on loss and mourning that brought her initial recognition.
deathgrieflove
Desolación (Desolation)
1922 Poetry collection (lyric poetry)A collection addressing motherhood, religion, nature, sorrow and recovery that established her international reputation.
motherhoodnaturereligionsorrow and recovery
Ternura (Tenderness)
1924 Songs and poems for children (lullabies, rondas)A collection of gentle poems and songs for children and parents, reflecting her commitment to education.
childreneducationmotherhood
Tala
1938 Poetry collection (incorporating folkloric and sacred elements)Contains poems celebrating Latin American and Mediterranean customs and folklore; proceeds were dedicated to children orphaned by the Spanish Civil War.
folkloresocial memorysorrow
Lagar
1954 Poetry collection (late works)A late collection reflecting on war, personal loss, and the poet's mature perspective.
lossremembrancehistory
Poema de Chile (Poem of Chile)
1967 Poetry (posthumous collection)Posthumously edited and published by her partner; includes symbolic poems about a return to Chile.
homelandsymbolismlegacy
Bibliography
- Sonetos de la muerte (1914)
- Desolación (1922)
- Lecturas para Mujeres (1923)
- Ternura (1924)
- Nubes Blancas y Breve Descripción de Chile (1934)
- Tala (1938)
- Antología (1941)
- Los sonetos de la muerte y otros poemas elegíacos (1952)
- Lagar (1954)
- Recados: Contando a Chile (1957)
- Poema de Chile (1967, posthumous)
- Poesías completas (1958)
Translations of Works
- Her works have been translated into English and many other languages (notable translators include Langston Hughes, Doris Dana, Ursula K. Le Guin).
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Lyrical yet direct voiceIncorporation of religious and ritual motifsPoetry with educational and moralist perspectives
- Recurring Motifs
- motherhood and childrendeath and mourningnature (sea, mountains, plants)Latin American identity
Health
-
Diabetes晩年（具体的期間不明）Contributed to long-term health decline
-
Heart problems晩年（具体的期間不明）Limited travel and public activities
-
Pancreatic cancer (cause of death)1956–1957（晩年）Died of pancreatic cancer on 10 January 1957
Legacy
Gabriela Mistral established international recognition as the first Latin American Nobel laureate in literature; her works on motherhood, education, and Latin American identity have been widely influential. Her contributions as an educator and diplomat are also recognized.
Museums
- Gabriela Mistral Museum (or memorial house) Vicuña, Chile (and related sites)
Archives
- Parts of her library and papers at Barnard College (Columbia University) and collections donated by Doris Dana
In Popular Culture
- Her image appears on the Chilean 5,000 peso banknote
- Google commemorated her 126th birthday with a doodle in 2015
Quotes
-
“We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children... The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed... To him we cannot answer 'Tomorrow,' his name is today.”
Source: Quoted from her essay/speech often referred to as "Su Nombre es Hoy" (widely cited in English translations)
Trivia
- She was the first Latin American author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature (1945) and among the early female laureates.
- Her portrait appears on the Chilean 5,000 peso banknote.
- She wrote approximately 800 essays and articles circulated throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
- Google honored her with a doodle on her 126th birthday in 2015.