Alonso, Dámaso

▪ Spanish writer

born Oct. 22, 1898, Madrid, Spain

died Jan. 24, 1990, Madrid

      Spanish poet, literary critic, and scholar, a member of the group of poets called the Generation of 1927.

      Educated at the University of Madrid, Alonso taught at the Centre of Historical Studies, Madrid (1923–36), and was a professor at the University of Valencia (1933–39) and the University of Madrid (1939–68). He was also a lecturer or visiting professor at universities in Germany, Britain, and, frequently, the United States.

      His first volume of poems, Poemas puros (1921; “Pure Poems”), were imagist, emphasizing economy of expression, but his later poetry evolved into a freer, more complex style, especially in his most famous poetical works, Oscura noticia (1944; “Dark Message”) and Hijos de la ira (1944; Children of Wrath). Poemas escogidos (“Selected Poetry”) appeared in 1969. In 1978 Alonso was awarded Spain's highest literary honour, the Miguel de Cervantes prize.

      As a critic, Alonso helped revive the reputation of the 17th-century Baroque poet Luis de Góngora (Góngora y Argote, Luis de) with his edition of Góngora's Soledades (1927; “Solitudes”) and his essay La lengua poética de Góngora (1935; “The Poetic Language of Góngora”) and other later works. His mastery of criticism is seen best in Poesía española (1950; 5th ed., 1966; “Spanish Poetry”). Alonso also translated the works of such authors as James Joyce, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and T.S. Eliot.

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