Rosalía De Castro

Summary

Rosalía de Castro, born in 1837 in Santiago de Compostela, was a pioneering Galician poet. Raised in difficult circumstances, she later moved to Madrid where she published her first book of poems. Married to journalist Manuel Murguía, her works became central to the Galician literary renaissance. Her poetry, deeply tied to her homeland, explored themes of social injustice, existentialism, and the condition of women. Despite health struggles, she continued to write until her death in 1885. Her works, including *Cantares Gallegos* and *En las orillas del Sar*, remain foundational to Spanish and Galician literature.

Takeaways

• 😀 Rosalía de Castro was born on February 23, 1837, in Santiago de Compostela, to a single mother with limited resources.
• 😀 Due to her father’s role as a priest, she was not recognized by him and was baptized as a child of unknown parents.
• 😀 Rosalía was almost sent to a foundling home, but her godmother, María Francisca Martínez, saved her from that fate.
• 😀 She spent her early childhood in the province of La Coruña, with her father’s sisters, before moving to Padrón with her mother in 1843.
• 😀 In 1850, Rosalía moved to Santiago de Compostela for her education, which was limited for women at the time.
• 😀 In 1856, Rosalía moved to Madrid, published her first poetry book *La flor*, and married Manuel Murguía in 1858.
• 😀 Her husband, Manuel Murguía, supported her literary work and played a key role in promoting her recognition.
• 😀 Rosalía developed a deep nostalgia for Galicia, which influenced her writings, especially during her time in Madrid.
• 😀 She had five children, though only two survived into adulthood. The death of her son Adriano in 1876 deeply affected her.
• 😀 Rosalía's health deteriorated from 1883, and she died of uterine cancer on July 15, 1885, at the age of 48.
• 😀 She requested that her unpublished works be burned before her death and asked her daughter to open the window so she could see the sea, despite being unable to see it from her home in Padrón.
• 😀 Rosalía's major works, including *Cantares Gallegos* (1863), are credited with starting the Galician literary renaissance known as *Rexurdimento*.
• 😀 Her final resting place is in the Panteón de Gallegos Ilustres in Santiago de Compostela, where she is honored as a prominent figure in Galician literature.

Q & A

Who was Rosalía de Castro, and when was she born?

Rosalía de Castro was a prominent Spanish writer and poet, born on February 23, 1837, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

What challenges did Rosalía de Castro face at the time of her birth?

At the time of her birth, Rosalía's mother, María Teresa de la Cruz Castro, was unmarried, and her father, José Martínez Viejo, a priest, could not acknowledge her. She was baptized as the child of unknown parents and almost ended up in an orphanage.

Who helped Rosalía de Castro avoid being sent to an orphanage?

Rosalía de Castro was saved from being sent to an orphanage by her godmother, María Francisca Martínez.

Where did Rosalía de Castro spend part of her childhood?

Rosalía spent part of her childhood in the province of A Coruña with her paternal aunts before moving to Padrón with her mother in 1843.

What was Rosalía de Castro's first published work, and when was it published?

Her first published work was *Cantares Gallegos*, which was published in 1863 in Galician. It is considered a key work in the Galician literary renaissance.

What role did *Cantares Gallegos* play in the Galician literary movement?

*Cantares Gallegos* played a key role in the *rexurdimento*, the Galician literary revival, by affirming Galicia as a cultural and identity symbol, and it marked the beginning of the Galician language as a literary medium.

How did Rosalía de Castro's marriage to Manuel Murguía impact her literary career?

Rosalía's marriage to Manuel Murguía, a Galician journalist, provided her with significant literary encouragement. He supported her writing and contributed to the recognition of her literary talents.

What was the theme of Rosalía de Castro's later works like *Flores Novas* (1880)?

*Flores Novas* (1880) explored themes such as existentialism, social issues like emigration, and the status of women. It marked a transition from collective poetry to more intimate and introspective works.

What was the significance of *En las orillas del Sar* (1884)?

*En las orillas del Sar* (1884), written in Spanish, is a collection of poems reflecting a pessimistic view of life. Although it was largely ignored at the time, it is now regarded as one of the key poetic works of the 19th century.

What was Rosalía de Castro's final request before her death?

Before her death on July 15, 1885, Rosalía asked her children to burn her unpublished works and requested her daughter, Alejandra, to open a window so she could see the sea, even though Padrón was not by the coast.