Juan Ramón Jiménez Biography

Spanish Poet, 1956 Nobel Laureate for Literature

Dec 25, 2008
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Juan Ramon Jimenez, Spanish Poet - Wikimedia Commons

Life and works of Spanish poet Juan Ramón Jiménez, famous for his poem "Platero y yo."

Juan Ramón Jiménez was a Spanish poet who often called "the poet's poet". In 1956, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. He was best known for his works "Platero y yo" and two volumes of poetry, "Souls of Violet" and "Water Lilies."

Early Life of Juan Ramón Jiménez

Juan R. Jiménez was born on December 24, 1881, in Moguer, southern Spain, a beautiful place that inspired many of his poems. He began writing when he was a teenager at the age of 15. He studied briefly at the University of Salamanca, than later, at the age of 19, he moved to the Madrid, to pursue further his writing career. It was there that he met the Nicaraguan poet and short story writer, Rubén Dario, who became his lifelong friend.

First Two Volumes: "Souls of Violet" and "Water Lilies"

While in Madrid, Jiménez published two volumes of poetry, "Souls of Violet" and "Water Lilies," poems that explore ideas about God, beauty and love. It is these themes that strongly feature in most of his work. Following the death of his father, Jiménez had a breakdown and returned to his hometown, Moguer. Extremely emotional and sensitive, he continued to suffer depressions and bouts of illness throughout his life.

Jimenéz Platero y Yo

Between the ages of 24 and 31, he published nine volumes of poetry. It was also this time that his creativity marked a turning point in his writing career. His poetry became more confident, and he used less structured verses. He also wrote his most popular work, Platero y yo.

Later Years of Juan R. Jimenéz

In 1916 he traveled to New York City, where he married Zenobia Camprubi Aymar, the Spanish translator of the famous Hindu poet Rabindranath Tagore. With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Jiménez left Spain and lived in Puerto Rico and Cuba. After some years in Puerto Rico, he and his wife moved to the United States, where they lived and taught in Miami and Washington, DC. They eventually settled in Puerto Rico, where he spent most of the rest of his life.

Nobel Laureate for Literature

In 1956, the same year he won the Nobel Prize, his wife died. Despite the prestigious award, he plunged into bouts of depression once again and never recovered. He died over a year later, on May 29, 1958. Another Spanish Nobel Laureate is Camilo José Cela.