Ricardo Palma, one of the most representative figures of the romantic style of Peruvian and Latin American poetry, is also considered one of the best Spanish-speaking writers of the nineteenth century.
This versatile writer with a renovating spirit He was the creator of various works that covered genres as diverse as poetry, essays, chronicles and historical fiction stories. Among his most notable works we find the famous “Peruvian Traditions”, a collection of stories born from the mix of chronicle and creative interpretation of the history of Peru, which we will mention later in this article.
Historical and literary context of Ricardo Palma
Ricardo Palma was born on February 7, 1833 in Lima, Peru, at a time when the winds of independence and the struggles for the emancipation of Latin America strongly impacted the political and social life of the newly formed countries. his work and in his political lifePalma’s work reflects this quest to portray Peruvian history through a critical and satirical lens, without ever losing the humorous touch that characterizes his literary style. Palma began his literary career at a very young age, quickly distinguishing himself as passionate about Peruvian history, but also showing a great interest in… literary forms of romanticism and in figures like Victor Hugo y George Gordon Byronwhose works left a mark on his style. Thanks to this cultural background, Palma developed a literary work that navigated between irony, local customs, and intense social criticism, aspects that mainly stand out in what would be his most celebrated work: the ‘Peruvian Traditions’.
Peruvian Traditions: Gender and Style
The ‘Peruvian Traditions’ They constitute a literary work of great importance not only for Peruvian literature, but for all of Latin American narrative. First published in 1872, and by the final edition in 1910, Palma had compiled 18 volumes, containing more than 453 stories divided into several series. In these tales, Palma blends oral tradition, historical chronicle, and imagination to narrate past episodes of Peru, primarily from the Viceroyalty, but also from pre-Hispanic and independent times. The modernity of his prose is striking, as is his ability to extract humor even from the most dramatic moments and his keenness in constructing characters and situations that form part of the Peruvian popular memoryIt is in the Traditions where Palma establishes himself as a chronicler of a past Peru, with stories that take us back to the Inca era as well as to colonial times and the early years of the Republic, but always from a critical and, in many cases, satirical perspective.
Recurring themes in Peruvian traditions
The topics addressed in the Traditions are very broad, covering stories ranging from humorous anecdotes to dark legends. In total, three large thematic groups can be found within the work:
- Inca tales: These six traditions tell stories about the Inca Empire, always focusing on historical and mythological figures. An example of this is ‘The Son of the Sun,’ where Palma elaborates a myth around the divine origin of the Incas.
- Viceregal traditions: With 339 stories, it is the most frequent theme in his work. These stories explore all kinds of everyday events in colonial Lima, focusing on the moral decay and politics of the time. In them, Palma does not hesitate to ridicule the Spanish authorities, for example, in his famous tradition ‘Don Dimas de la Tijereta’.
- Stories of Emancipation and the Republic: These 43 stories revolve around the events that led Peru to its independence from Spain and the political events during the formation of the Republic. Here, Palma gives us a broad overview of the ambitions, betrayals and utopias of the first republican rulers.
Other works by Ricardo Palma
Throughout his life, Ricardo Palma did not only dedicate his writing to the ‘Traditions’. He also ventured into other literary genres:
- Poetic works: Published between 1855 and 1895, notable titles include ‘Verbos y Gerundios’, ‘A San Martín’ (1890) and ‘Pasionarias’ (1870).
- Dramas and plays: Among his early works are ‘Rodil’ (1851), a drama destroyed by the author, and ‘The Son of the Sun’ (1849), inspired by the Inca Empire.
- Historical Essays: Palma also explored the historical essay in works such as ‘Annals of the Inquisition of Lima’ (1863).
- Journalism: Throughout his life he collaborated with national and international magazines and newspapers, as director of ‘El Diablo’ and ‘El Burro’ in his early years.
Ricardo Palma and the National Library of Peru
One of Ricardo Palma’s great achievements was his work in the reconstruction of the National Library of Peru after its near destruction during the War of the Pacific. In 1884, he was put in charge of the direction of the institution, which had suffered the looting of 10.000 volumes by the invading Chilean troops. Palma, with a meager budget, was in charge of collecting donations of books from abroad, earning him the nickname “The Beggar Librarian”As director of the National Library until 1912, Palma transformed it into a leading institution for the country. His work was not only fundamental to the recovery of lost literary heritage, but also helped connect Peru with academics and writers from around the world. Ricardo Palma’s love of books and perseverance have left a legacy that remains alive to this day. In fact, the Ricardo Palma University in Lima is a testament to the respect and admiration the country holds for its greatest figure. traditionalistRicardo Palma, even after his death in 1919, remains a fundamental figure in Latin American literature, especially for having created a unique genre such as the ‘Peruvian Traditions’.