Literature in Madrid

Madrid Literature

When you talk about talent in Madrid you may want to take a seat to hear the list as there are scores of talented writers who have made their mark. If you are a fan of the written word then you can indulge yourself with the following list of notable figures.

• Francisco de Figueroa- A poet born in 1530, Figueroa is the guy to refer to for sonnets. He was a very talented writer in both Spanish and Italian and was friends with Miguel de Cervantes. In fact, he appears as a character in Cervantes' La Galatea.

• Alonso de Ercilla- A Spanish nobleman,Ercilla also put his hand to being a great poet. One of his most popular pieces of work includes is La Araucana, which is a brilliant read.

• Miguel de Cervantes- The man who is best known for his literary brilliance with Don Quijote, a novel that is deeply integrated into the Spanish culture and language.. Other well-known pieces include La fuerza de la sange and Novela del casamiento engañoso.

• Lope de Vega- Similar to Cervantes for his huge contribution to the Spanish language, he had nicknames such as "monster of nature" due to the sheer number of plays he wrote... almost 2,000!

• Ramón de la Cruz- He was a neoclassical dramatist who became the talent behind several sainetes, which are comical opera pieces. His best work includes Las Tertulias de Madrid.

• Francisco de Quevedo- A golden age writer, he prided himself on developing some interesting relationships, namely with Luis de Góngora. He had his own style - called conceptismo - which really contrasted to Gongora's "culteranismo". Work includes Los Sueños, one of his satires in which he included dream visions.

• Tirso de Molina- In addition to being a revered poet, he was also a priest, having been ordained in 1600. Tirso de Molina's body of work focuses primarily on poetry, a realm in which he is second only to Lope de Vega. Together they were some of the most popular writers around at the time. Notable works include Comedias escogidas and Estudios de critica literaria.

• Juan Benet- This 20th century writer was born in Madrid in 1927. He published many pieces of work, which include La inspiración y el estilo and Volverás a región.

• Luis Antonio de Villena- Villena holds a degree in Romance languages and has received numerous awards, including the National Critics' Choice awards in poetry and the Generation of 27 award.

This is only a taste of some of the talent within Madrid's literary world. You will be sure to explore and find others who are of equal talent, so check them out and enjoy!

Newspapers in Madrid

For the ins and outs of what is going on around Madrid you will be onto a winner to keep up to date with the newspapers and check out the list that you can pick up daily.

• ABC
• AS
• Boletin Oficial de Estado
• Cinco Dias Diario Medico
• El Mundo
• El Pais
• El Telegrafo
• La Gaceta de los Negocios

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