The second volume of poetry published by César Vallejo, titled Trilce, remains a seminal work of the 20th-century avant-garde movement. Born in the Andean village of Santiago de Chuco in 1892, he navigated a career as a writer, playwright, and journalist, eventually spending his final years in Paris where he died in 1938.
Early Life and Education
Vallejo studied at the National University of Trujillo and the National University of San Marcos. During his time in Trujillo, he became involved with the local intellectual community known as the North Group. His early experiences working at the Roma Hacienda sugar plantation exposed him to the harsh conditions of agrarian labor, which deeply influenced his subsequent political and aesthetic outlook.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Literary Development and Imprisonment
A year later, while visiting his hometown, he was falsely accused of arson and rioting, leading to 112 days of incarceration in Trujillo. During this period, he continued to write, winning a local literary prize under a pseudonym. Although later vindicated by the Peruvian judiciary in 2007, the traumatic legal process and fear of further persecution compelled him to leave Peru.
European Exile and Creative Output
After emigrating to Europe in 1923, Vallejo lived in Paris, though he also spent time in Spain and traveled to the USSR. During these years, he produced diverse works including the short story collection Fabla salvaje, the novel El tungsteno, and the posthumously released poetry collection Spain, take this cup from me. He married Georgette Philippart in 1934 and remained active as a contributor to international periodicals until his death.
Fast facts
- Born: 1892, Santiago de Chuco
- Died: 1938, Paris
- Burial place: Montparnasse Cemetery
- Primary language: Spanish
- Notable work: Trilce
- Notable work: Los heraldos negros
- Notable work: El tungsteno
- Notable work: Paco Yunque
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Roma Hacienda?
It was a sugar plantation where Vallejo worked as a young man, witnessing the exploitation of laborers which shaped his later politics and writing.
Where is César Vallejo buried?
He is buried at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris.
Achievements
- Notable work: Los heraldos negros
- Notable work: El tungsteno
- Notable work: Paco Yunque
- Notable work: Spain, take this cup from me
