Catalan Authors: Ruyra and Maragall - Life and Works

Joaquim Ruyra: Life and Literary Contributions

Joaquim Ruyra was born in Girona on September 27, 1858, and died in Barcelona on May 15, 1939. He was a Catalan writer, considered one of the greatest storytellers of the modern 20th century. Heir to rural properties in Blanes, his father was a lawyer in Girona, where Ruyra studied at the seminary of St. Martin. After attending the Institut Street Force in 1873, he participated in the Carlist War.

A narrator and writer of the Art Nouveau era, Ruyra was recognized by J. F. He collaborated with several magazines. In 1919, he published The Stop, and in 1931, he published The Copla. The government commissioned him to write the biography of Ramon Turró.

Ruyra's Major Works

Poetry:

• The Land of Plenty, 1906
• Ventises-leaves, 1919
• The Copla, 1931

Novels:

• Marines and Woods, 1903
• The Stop, 1919
• Between Flames, 1920

Theater:

• Love-bomb Test, 1902
• The Good News, 1928
• Garet in the Arbor, 1938

Reviews of Notable Works

Review of Marines and Woods

Marines and Woods reflects the author's personal experience of marine life in Blanes.

Review of The Rem 34

The Rem 34 evokes the time of his youth.

Joan Maragall: A Multifaceted Literary Figure

Joan Maragall was born in Barcelona on October 10, 1860, and passed away on December 20, 1911. He was a poet, prose writer, journalist, translator, and lawyer.

Maragall was the youngest in his family and had three sisters. His father was a textile manufacturer. He studied law, as his father wanted him to take care of the factory, but this did not prevent him from becoming a great poet and journalist.

His poetry moved through several stages, but two trends are prominent: vitality and decadence.

Maragall's Poetic Legacy

Poetry:

• Spiritual Song
• Song of the Flag
• The Blind Cow
• The Sardana
• Ode to Spain
• Count Arnau

Timeline of Achievements and Publications

• 1881: Wins the Natural Flower with Dinssacambra at the Jocs Florals (JF) in Badalona.
• 1891: Marries Clara Noble; they have 13 children.
• 1892: Introduction to the modernist movement.
• 1893: Writes The Blind Cow.
• 1894: Wins the Silver Viola for The Sardana at the JF in Barcelona.
• 1898: Writes Ode to Spain.
• 1900: Publishes a snippet of Count Arnau in a magazine.
• 1901: Translates the poet Novalis and the second part of Count Arnau.
• 1903: Leaves the newspaper in Barcelona due to policy discrepancies.
• 1908: The emergence of the new Count Arnau.
• 1910: Wins the Fastenrath prize at the JF in Barcelona with the book Beyond. His only play, Nausica, is published.
• 1911: Publishes the third part of Count Arnau.

Between the years 1881, 1894, 1896, 1904, and 1910, Maragall earned a Natural Flower, an Englantina, a Gold Viola, and a Fastenrath prize for his works, including The Sardana, Clara, and Beyond.