Nobel Prize in Literature
1 appearances
-
Edition 60 (1967) Winner
Miguel Ángel Asturias
ミゲル・アンヘル・アストゥリアス・ロサレス
Miguel Ángel Asturias
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1899-10-19 （Guatemala City, Guatemala）
- Died
- 1974-06-09 （Madrid, Spain） age 74
- Nationality
- Guatemalan
- Languages
- Spanish
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet, playwright, journalist, diplomat
- Active Years
- 1920-1974
- Influenced By
- André Breton (Surrealism), Paul Valéry (poet/essayist), Mayan culture and indigenous oral traditions
- Influenced
- Gabriel García Márquez (Latin American Boom writer), Writers of the Latin American Boom, Generations of Guatemalan and Central American writers
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala | Faculty of Law | Law | 法学位 | 1922–1923 | Guatemala |
| University of Paris (Sorbonne) | Ethnology | — | — | 1923–1926 | France |
Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Faculty of Law
/ Law
Degree:
法学位
Period:
1922–1923
Year of Graduation:
1923
Country:
Guatemala
Received the Gálvez Prize for his thesis 'The Social Problem of the Indian'
University of Paris (Sorbonne)
Ethnology
Period:
1923–1926
Year of Graduation:
1926
Country:
France
Studied ethnology; worked on Mayan studies and began translating the Popol Vuh
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Nobel Prize in Literature | Hombres de maíz (Men of Maize) | — | The Swedish Academy | 受賞 |
| 1966 | Lenin Peace Prize | The Banana Trilogy | — | Soviet Union | 受賞 |
| 1931 | Prix Sylla Monsegur | French translation of Leyendas de Guatemala | — | French literary/translation organization | 受賞 |
| 1952 | Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger | El Señor Presidente | — | French literary prize | 受賞 |
| 1923 | Gálvez Prize | Thesis 'The Social Problem of the Indian' | — | University award | 受賞 |
Nobel Prize in Literature
1967
Work:
Hombres de maíz (Men of Maize)
Organization:
The Swedish Academy
Result:
受賞
Lenin Peace Prize
1966
Work:
The Banana Trilogy
Organization:
Soviet Union
Result:
受賞
Prix Sylla Monsegur
1931
Work:
French translation of Leyendas de Guatemala
Organization:
French literary/translation organization
Result:
受賞
Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger
1952
Work:
El Señor Presidente
Organization:
French literary prize
Result:
受賞
Gálvez Prize
1923
Work:
Thesis 'The Social Problem of the Indian'
Organization:
University award
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
El Señor Presidente
1946 Dictator novel; elements of surrealismA novel depicting life under a ruthless president. It denounces dictatorship through a portrait of fear, absurdity, and the mechanisms of power.
dictatorshipfear and powercollapse of justice
Adaptations
- [theatre] El Señor Presidente (play) / Hugo Carrillo (adaptation, 1974) (1974)
Translations
- English translation by Frances Partridge (1963)
Hombres de maíz (Men of Maize)
1949 magical realism; mythic/ethnographic novelDrawing on Mayan myths and customs, this mythic novel contrasts traditional communities with external commercial forces, centering on the maize creation myth.
indigenous culturenature and mythland and resistance
Translations
- English translation by Gerald Martin (1975)
Leyendas de Guatemala
1930 short story collection; lyrical/folk talesA collection of stories inspired by Mayan myth and folklore, exploring Guatemalan national identity.
myth retellingnational/ethnic identity
Translations
- Translated into French and other languages
The Banana Trilogy (Viento fuerte / El papa verde / Los ojos de los enterrados)
1950 social/political novelsA trilogy critiquing foreign control of the banana industry and the exploitation of indigenous labor.
imperialismeconomic exploitationloss of land
Mulata de tal
1963 surreal/magical realist novelA carnival-like novel mixing Mayan mythology and Catholic tradition, using sorcery and folk belief to explore faith and power.
folk belieftension with Catholicismsorcery
Translations
- English translation by Gregory Rabassa (various editions)
Bibliography
- El Señor Presidente (1946)
- Hombres de maíz (Men of Maize) (1949)
- Leyendas de Guatemala (1930)
- The Banana Trilogy (1950–1960)
- Mulata de tal (1963)
Adaptations
- Stage adaptation of El Señor Presidente (1974, Hugo Carrillo)
Translations of Works
- El Señor Presidente — English translation by Frances Partridge
- Hombres de maíz — English translation by Gerald Martin
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- influenced by surrealismearly/mounting forms of magical realismtropical baroque linguistic style—colorful and rhythmic language
- Recurring Motifs
- Mayan myth and oral traditionmaize as a symbol of life/creationmechanisms of power and dictatorshipnature and spiritual entities
Legacy
Miguel Ángel Asturias brought attention to indigenous culture in literature and is regarded as a precursor of Latin American modernism. His major works have been translated and internationally recognized; Guatemala honors him with awards and a cultural center bearing his name.
Museums
- Centro Cultural Miguel Ángel Asturias Guatemala City Opened in 1978
Archives
- Library of Congress (catalogue records)
In Popular Culture
- Commemorations and literary prizes in Guatemala bear his name as a national literary figure
- Official events such as the 2024 repatriation of his remains renewed public attention
Quotes
-
"I listened a lot, I imagined a little, and invented the rest."
Source: Interview with Günter W. Lorenz (1968) (1968)
Trivia
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1967 (for Hombres de maíz).
- Recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1966.
- Buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris; family agreed to repatriate his remains to Guatemala in 2024.
- His son Rodrigo Asturias (nom de guerre Gaspar Ilom) became a prominent political figure.