He was born at Ribera del Fresno, in what is now the province of Badajoz. Destined by his parents for the priesthood, he graduated in law at Salamanca, where he became indoctrinated with the ideas of the French philosophical school. In 1780 with Batilo, a pastoral in the manner of Garcilaso de la Vega, he won a prize offered by the Spanish academy; next year he was introduced to Jovellanos, through whose influence he was appointed to a professorship at Salamanca in 1783.
The pastoral scenes in Las Bodas de Camacho (1784) do not compensate for its undramatic nature, but it gained a prize from the municipality of Madrid. A volume of verses, lyrical and pastoral, published in 1785, caused Meléndez Valdés to be hailed as the first Spanish poet of his time. This success induced him to resign his chair at Salamanca, and try his fortune in politics. Once wore the friendship of Jovellanos obtained for him in 1789 a judgeship at Zaragoza, whence he was transferred two years later to a post in the chancery court at Valladolid. In 1797 he dedicated to Godoy an enlarged edition of his poems, the new matter consisting principally of unsuccessful imitations of John Milton and Thomson; but the poet was rewarded by promotion to a high post in the treasury at Madrid.
On the fall of Jovellanos in 1798 Meléndez Valdés was dismissed and exiled from the capital; he returned in 1808 and accepted office as a Minister of Public Instruction in 1811, under Joseph Bonaparte. He had previously denounced the French usurper in his verses. He now outraged the feelings of his countrymen by the grossest flattery of his foreign master, and in 1813 he fled to Alais. It is around 1812 that he was promoted to be a member of the Royal Spanish Academy, too.[1] Four years later he died in poverty at Montpellier. His remains were removed to Spain in 1866 and finally to Madrid, "Panteón de Hombres Ilustres", in 1900.
Many of his successors, including Manuel José Quintana, recognized him as the outstanding poet of eighteenth-century Spain, and he continues to be judged so today.[2] He was a close friend of the artist Francisco de Goya.
Referencesedit
^"Juan Meléndez Valdés - letra B". Real Academia Española (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 May 2023.
^González Echevarría, Roberto; Pupo-Walker, Enrique (1996). The Cambridge History of Latin American literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 383. ISBN0-521-34069-1. OCLC 28928657.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Melendez Valdés, Juan". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 93.
Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Juan Meléndez Valdés" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
W. E. Colford, Juan Meléndez Valdés. A Study in the transition from Neo-Classicism to Romanticism in Spanish Poetry. New York, Hispanic Institute, (1942), 369 pages.
G. Demerson, Don Juan Meléndez Valdés et son temps. Paris, Lib. Klincksieck, (1962)
R. Froldi, Un poeta illuminista: Meléndesz Valdés, Milan, Ist. Editoriale Cisalpino, (1967)
G. Demerson, Don Juan Meléndez Valdés y su tiempo (1754 - 1817) Madrid, Ed. Taurus, (1971), 2 vols. Enlarged new edition, in Spanish, of the afore mentioned text.
R. M. Cox, Juan Meléndez Valdés, New York Twayne Publications (1974), 179 pages.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Juan Meléndez Valdés
External linksedit
Works by Juan Meléndez Valdés at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
December 15, 2023
juan, meléndez, valdés, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, meléndez, second, maternal, family, name, valdés, march, 1754, 1817, spanish, neoclassical, poet, most, excellentjuan, meléndezportrait, francisco, goya, circa, 1797born, 1754, march, 1754r. In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Melendez and the second or maternal family name is Valdes Juan Melendez Valdes 11 March 1754 24 May 1817 was a Spanish neoclassical poet The Most ExcellentJuan MelendezPortrait by Francisco de Goya circa 1797BornJuan Melendez Valdes 1754 03 11 11 March 1754Ribera del Fresno SpainDied24 May 1817 1817 05 24 aged 63 Montpellier FranceSeat B of the Real Academia EspanolaIn office 16 July 1812 24 May 1817Preceded byJoaquin Juan FloresSucceeded byAgustin de Silva y PalafoxBiography editHe was born at Ribera del Fresno in what is now the province of Badajoz Destined by his parents for the priesthood he graduated in law at Salamanca where he became indoctrinated with the ideas of the French philosophical school In 1780 with Batilo a pastoral in the manner of Garcilaso de la Vega he won a prize offered by the Spanish academy next year he was introduced to Jovellanos through whose influence he was appointed to a professorship at Salamanca in 1783 The pastoral scenes in Las Bodas de Camacho 1784 do not compensate for its undramatic nature but it gained a prize from the municipality of Madrid A volume of verses lyrical and pastoral published in 1785 caused Melendez Valdes to be hailed as the first Spanish poet of his time This success induced him to resign his chair at Salamanca and try his fortune in politics Once wore the friendship of Jovellanos obtained for him in 1789 a judgeship at Zaragoza whence he was transferred two years later to a post in the chancery court at Valladolid In 1797 he dedicated to Godoy an enlarged edition of his poems the new matter consisting principally of unsuccessful imitations of John Milton and Thomson but the poet was rewarded by promotion to a high post in the treasury at Madrid On the fall of Jovellanos in 1798 Melendez Valdes was dismissed and exiled from the capital he returned in 1808 and accepted office as a Minister of Public Instruction in 1811 under Joseph Bonaparte He had previously denounced the French usurper in his verses He now outraged the feelings of his countrymen by the grossest flattery of his foreign master and in 1813 he fled to Alais It is around 1812 that he was promoted to be a member of the Royal Spanish Academy too 1 Four years later he died in poverty at Montpellier His remains were removed to Spain in 1866 and finally to Madrid Panteon de Hombres Ilustres in 1900 Many of his successors including Manuel Jose Quintana recognized him as the outstanding poet of eighteenth century Spain and he continues to be judged so today 2 He was a close friend of the artist Francisco de Goya References edit Juan Melendez Valdes letra B Real Academia Espanola in Spanish Retrieved 27 May 2023 Gonzalez Echevarria Roberto Pupo Walker Enrique 1996 The Cambridge History of Latin American literature Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 383 ISBN 0 521 34069 1 OCLC 28928657 nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Melendez Valdes Juan Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 18 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 93 Herbermann Charles ed 1913 Juan Melendez Valdes Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company http www las9musas net siglo18 mvaldes bibmelen html Archived 2009 01 05 at the Wayback Machine http www cervantesvirtual com bib autor melendez imagenes3b shtml W E Colford Juan Melendez Valdes A Study in the transition from Neo Classicism to Romanticism in Spanish Poetry New York Hispanic Institute 1942 369 pages G Demerson Don Juan Melendez Valdes et son temps Paris Lib Klincksieck 1962 R Froldi Un poeta illuminista Melendesz Valdes Milan Ist Editoriale Cisalpino 1967 G Demerson Don Juan Melendez Valdes y su tiempo 1754 1817 Madrid Ed Taurus 1971 2 vols Enlarged new edition in Spanish of the afore mentioned text R M Cox Juan Melendez Valdes New York Twayne Publications 1974 179 pages nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Juan Melendez ValdesExternal links editWorks by Juan Melendez Valdes at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Juan Melendez Valdes amp oldid 1157280157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
