Miguel Hernández: A Life Forged in Poetry and Politics

1. Sociological Context

Miguel Hernández (1910-1942)

Orihuela (Alicante)

Miguel Hernández was born around the year 1910 in Orihuela, a small city bathed by the waters of the Segura River. His birth coincided with the peak of anarcho-syndicalism in Spain, and his death with the consolidation of the Francoist regime. Orihuela was a city divided by social classes, and unfortunately, Hernández was not born into a wealthy or prestigious family. His family's limited resources came from the sale of milk produced by the cows and sheep his father grazed.

After three years, his father's business partner, Uncle Corro, died, leaving the family with little money. This forced them to move to a new home better suited for livestock farming in the mountains. Hernández studied at a Jesuit school, but his formal education ended at the age of 13. Some believe this was due to the family's inability to renew his scholarship, while others suggest his father needed him to work to support the family. However, Hernández never abandoned his studies. His eagerness to learn led him to develop strong friendships with Carlos Fenoll and Luis Almachar (who later became the Bishop of León), from whom he learned a great deal. He was a man with a voracious intellect and poetic intuition.

Hernández's father was very strict, which contributed to a harsh childhood and adolescence. Unaware that his son was a genius, he prioritized survival over his son's cultural development. This may have hindered Hernández's path into poetry, but it also fueled his determination to develop his talent through the natural encounters he sought and needed.

Early Influences and Literary Development

A meeting with Carlos Fenoll, a friend who helped him enter the world of culture, revealed that Hernández's education had been somewhat disorganized and of poor quality. Attending gatherings at the bakery called "El horno", also frequented by the Sijé brothers, broadened his literary horizons. He further expanded his knowledge through access to the library of Almachar's father. Combined with his knowledge of the poets of the Golden Age, imparted by Ramón Sijé, Miguel became a passionate lover of poetry. His readings included Góngora, Lorca, Gabriel Miró, Rubén Darío, Unamuno, Antonio Machado, and Juan Ramón Jiménez.

First Publications and Recognition

Hernández's first publication, a poem called "Pastoral", appeared in the weekly El Pueblo in his hometown at the age of 19 (1929). A few years later, José María Ballesteros, a physician and writer, wrote an article in the journal Voluntad about a shepherd who wrote verses. This was the first article written about Miguel Hernández. Juan Sansano continued this recognition with articles in the Alicante newspaper El Día in 1931.

Journey to Madrid and the Republic

In 1931, Hernández evaded military service and traveled to Madrid, hoping to establish new contacts with renowned poets and literary minds. This was a time when the Republic had recently been proclaimed in Spain. However, despite his efforts, economic hardship forced him to return to Orihuela. He experienced his first imprisonment for a bureaucratic offense: traveling with a free ticket in the name of Alfredo Serna.

Perito en Lunas and Evolving Style

After leaving prison and influenced by the neogongorism prevalent in Madrid, Hernández began writing Perito en lunas, which would become his first book. This work established him as a public figure in the literary scene of the 1930s. His works were read in universities and cultural magazines. He also published his autosacramental play, Quién te ha visto y quién te ve y sombra de lo que eras. During this time, his relationship with Ramón Sijé, who had influenced him towards a more classical style, came to an end. His change in attitude was primarily due to three factors: meeting his future wife Josefina Manresa, writing El rayo que no cesa, and the influence of Neruda.